


Footnotes Omitted

by noaacat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Friendship, Gen, Harry Potter Isn't Famous, Screenplay/Script Format, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-03-01 10:10:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 34,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13292637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noaacat/pseuds/noaacat
Summary: James and Lily Potter, heroes martyred before Harry can remember, are matters of national pride. Harry, their son, is a mere footnote to the heroes' story, a half-blood orphan raised by muggles and generally forgotten. No fame, no expectations, only a sharp tongue and a tendency to get himself into danger unlike anything your average teenager would ever face. Now, together with his close friend Neville Longbottom, he faces his third year at Hogwarts, unaware that it will be full of fugitives, creatures, secrets, and revelations.





	1. Episode 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's finally being posted! Ah, 2018 is my year, I guess.
> 
> This fic is an... experiment, to say the least. It is well outside of my usual realm of work in style, both because of the format as a script, and because it runs closest to the canon of I think any of the stories I've written, except perhaps the first chapter of ToTT. There's even some dialogue/descriptions that I've included from the original. I've indicated most of these moments with an asterisk.
> 
> Some useful information: This story begins in Harry's third year. In an ideal world, one in which I had infinite time and energy, I would have written the same AU to CoS first, and possibly the first book as well. Spoiler: I did not. If there are any changes that stand out to you as needing more context to understand, please feel free to comment on them, as others will probably find it useful as well.
> 
> I'm also trying to find a good way to format this for AO3, as in the original document, I have it properly formatted like a script. I'm trying block quotes to pull out the dialogue - let me know if you have any suggestions otherwise.
> 
> Happy reading!

 FADE IN:

 

EXT. KNOCKTURN ALLEY — JUST BEFORE DAWN

We open on a dark street, rain dripping off the rooftops onto slimy cobblestones. Shop windows with bars over them, haphazard displays coated in cobwebs and grime. Outer walls pasted with WANTED posters peeling from the bricks, many defaced or torn away. The convicts’ photos glare out at us.

A DRUNKEN MAN in tattered robes stumbles through the street, holding a bottle full of bright green liquid, singing incomprehensibly, off-key. As he lurches about, he slips on something, and falls to the ground — he groans, sitting up, and snatches it: one of the posters, obscured. He tosses it into the darkness, using the bottle to push to his feet —

The shadows shift. The man drops his bottle, reaching into his robes, drawing something and brandishing it like a knife, shouting as he does so:   

> DRUNKEN MAN  
> Who’s there?

He realizes it’s a broken quill he’s holding, and begins to panic as the from the darkness emerges —

A DOG with mangy fur. It steps on the poster and yawns.  

> DRUNKEN MAN  
>      (sneering, to himself)  
> Just a stray. 

He replaces the quill with his wand and with a few waves the shattered bottle comes together again. There’s clearly grime from the street mixing with the green liquid, but he doesn’t seem to notice. He continues to stumble on his way.

We stay with the dog, which bends down and sniffs the torn paper. We can just see the convict in the image now, his face gaunt as he blinks up at the dog, but then the dog breaks into a run, stepping on it again. We watch him dart down the street, and pull up to reveal that he is headed towards DIAGON ALLEY, as the sun is breaking over LONDON beyond, and we hold there for a moment before we hear:

> MAN’S VOICE (OS)  
> Mr Potter!

 

INT. LEAKY CAULDRON — MORNING

Back down, into the Leaky Cauldron, the pub and inn serving as the gateway between magical Diagon Alley and Muggle London. The ground floor is quiet: a few customers eating breakfast, a wizard reading as his coffee stirs itself.* We can see more wanted posters on the walls. In the background, TOM, the barman, is using magic to pull chairs off tables, scrubbing them clean with a flick of his wand. All normal. 

And then: a boy, frozen halfway down the stairs. Scrawny, black hair sticking up in every direction, a faded hoodie and rolled-up jeans that would fit someone twice his size, round glasses taped together over his nose magnifying his bright green eyes. This is HARRY POTTER. A student at HOGWARTS on summer holiday. And, as we will soon learn: a runaway. He has his school book bag slung over one arm, and his other hand is tight around the wand sticking out of his pocket as he looks down the stairs. He sees:

A tired-looking wizard in black robes. He has dark skin, dark eyes, and dark hair shaved close to the scalp. A patch on his chest identifies him as an employee of the Ministry of Magic.

> MINISTRY EMPLOYEE  
> Yes, Mr Potter, clearly. I’ve been looking for you for three days. 
> 
> HARRY  
> ...Sorry?  
>      (a pause)  
> Who are you?
> 
> MINISTRY EMPLOYEE  
> Lionel Willoughby, Muggle Affairs. Would you like to have this conversation on the stairs, or will you come down?  

After a moment, Harry follows Lionel over to one of the booths. Harry has to stretch his feet so that his toes are pressed firmly into the ground. He’s ready to bolt. 

Lionel waves to Tom. A teapot and two cracked mugs float across the room, landing on the table with a CRASH that makes Harry jump. 

> LIONEL  
> You know why I’m here.
> 
> HARRY  
> Do I?
> 
> LIONEL  
>      (sighing)  
> Mr Potter, regardless of who your parents are, it does not excuse the fact that you blew up your aunt — your  _muggle_ aunt — and sent her loose out over the rooftops of Surrey.

 

CUT TO:  
EXT. LITTLE WHINGING, THREE DAYS EARLIER — DUSK 

MARGE’s inflated form floats over the rows of rooftops like a wayward balloon, wailing. A man off screen — UNCLE VERNON — calls desperately after her.

 

BACK AT THE LEAKY CAULDRON — DAY 

> HARRY  
> She’s not my aunt. She’s my uncle’s sister, not Aunt Petunia’s. And she deserved it.
> 
> LIONEL  
> She’s a muggle, and—
> 
> HARRY  
> She insulted my parents. 

Lionel gapes. Harry’s got him now. 

> LIONEL  
> Be that as it may—
> 
> HARRY  
> She called James Potter a drunk and a worthless layabout. And she referred to Lily Potter as—  
>      (whispers)  
> a bitch.

Lionel clenches his jaw, and Harry holds back a satisfied smile. James and Lily Potter, heroes martyred before Harry can remember, are matters of national pride. Symbols of Wizarding Britain’s continued moral superiority. A ministry man like Lionel is patriotically obligated to be offended.

> HARRY  
>      (continued)  
> Of course she doesn’t know they were heroes, but there’s no excuse for insulting someone’s mother.
> 
> LIONEL  
>      (recovering)  
> There’s no excuse for using a swelling charm on a muggle, either. Mr Potter.
> 
> HARRY  
>      (frustrated)  
> Well, I didn’t mean to, did I? Only she’d been on about it since she showed up, and I lost my temper, and I thought I was just telling her to shut up, but then…
> 
> LIONEL  
> You mean to say that was accidental magic?
> 
> HARRY  
> I didn’t do it intentionally, if that’s what you mean. It’s not like I’m going around waving my wand all summer. That’s illegal. Besides, it was locked in my trunk with the rest of my things.
> 
> LIONEL  
> Your Uncle showed us the damage you did to the cupboard door.
> 
> HARRY  
> Well, the cupboard was—

He stops abruptly, glancing around the room. No one is paying attention to them.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
> I needed my things, to be able to leave.

Lionel sighs, pouring the tea. He pushes one of the mugs towards Harry, but Harry ignores it.

> LIONEL  
> Well, this is your second warning, Mr Potter. If it was accidental… I suppose you’ll say the hover charm last year was accidental too?
> 
> HARRY  
> No. That wasn’t me. I got blamed for it, but it wasn’t.
> 
> LIONEL  
> The Trace can tell when there is another wizard present, Mr Potter.
> 
> HARRY  
> It wasn’t a wizard. It was a house-elf.
> 
> LIONEL  
> A house-elf? In a muggle home?
> 
> HARRY  
> His name is Dobby. He used to work for Mr Malfoy, but I helped him get free, last year. He hated the Malfoys. He was trying to warn me about the Chamber of Secrets.

CUT TO:  
INT. HARRY’S ROOM, ONE YEAR EARLIER — NIGHT

Harry sits on the bed, while DOBBY, a wide-eyed house-elf in a dirty pillowcase, waves his arms frantically. 

> DOBBY  
> Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts!
> 
> HARRY  
> You’ve said that, but I have to! I can’t stay here.
> 
> DOBBY  
> Harry Potter must —
> 
> HARRY  
>      (desperately)  
> But why?
> 
> DOBBY  
> Dobby cannot say! Only that there is something coming to Hogwarts, something terrible, and Harry Potter will be in danger!

BACK AT THE LEAKY CAULDRON — DAY

Where Lionel has gone wide-eyed at the mention of the Chamber. Harry looks wary. 

> HARRY  
> Dumbledore knows about Dobby. And Dobby would probably tell you, if you could find him.
> 
> LIONEL  
>      (reluctantly moving on)  
> And why didn’t you write back to the letter, then?
> 
> HARRY  
> I was locked in my room for the rest of the summer. Didn’t you see the bars on the window? Dumbledore had to send someone to get me, when school started. They didn’t want me to go back. They didn’t want me to go in the first place.
> 
> LIONEL  
> You ran away… to Hogwarts.

Harry shrugs, and Lionel sighs again, rubbing his temples.

> LIONEL (CONT’D)  
> Well, if that is the case, you should write to Mafalda Hopkirk, in the Improper Use of Magic office. You don’t want something like that on your record, Mr Potter.
> 
> HARRY  
> Is this going on my record?
> 
> LIONEL  
> May I have your wand?
> 
> HARRY  
> What do you want with it?
> 
> LIONEL  
> There’s a spell to check what was last cast by a wand. If you’re telling the truth, there’s not going to be a swelling charm there.

Harry slowly pulls his wand out of his pocket and sets it on the table. He watches carefully while Lionel produces his own wand and casts the spell —

> LIONEL  
>  _Priori Incantato._

— and the wand emits several bursts of faint, glowing, golden lights, which criss-cross into webs in the air, wrapping into a shape — the form of Harry’s school trunk. Lionel raises an eyebrow.

> HARRY  
> I had to protect my things from them. I cast them on the train. So they couldn’t open it and destroy anything, or take my money — gold is more valuable, to muggles. I need it or I won’t be able to buy my school things. 

Well, it’s not completely a lie. He’d used it first to protect his things from his classmates, back when they thought he was the Heir of Slytherin and his trunk was torn apart by Ginny looking for Tom Riddle’s Diary, and more recently —  
  
A pause, and then we rewind backwards through the morning, following Harry away from the table, up the stairs, and into the little room he’s rented at the end of the hall, to the moment before he clicks his trunk shut —

And moving forwards again: 

The lid clicks shut. Harry, crouching in front of his trunk, pulls out his wand without hesitation, and begins to murmur spells, though his words are lost under the sound of the room rattling as a train rushes by outside his window. It’s not completely gone before Harry stands, grabs his bag and hurrying out the door, on to the scene we return to now:  
  
Where he is looking sharply at Lionel, as though daring him to call out the lie.

Lionel frowns, but flicks his wand, the golden light dissolving. He pushes the wand back across the table towards Harry, who shoves it back into his pocket.

> LIONEL  
> I will have to question your aunt and uncle again, but if this was accidental, it will be removed from your record.
> 
> HARRY  
> ...I’m not going to be expelled?
> 
> LIONEL  
> Expelled? Merlin, no. At worst you would be doing community service hours, but I don’t think that will be necessary.

Harry breathes a sigh of relief, relaxing in his seat. 

> LIONEL (CONT’D)  
> However, there is the matter of the rest of your summer.
> 
> HARRY  
> I’m  _not_ going back to the Dursleys.
> 
> LIONEL  
> Normally, you wouldn’t have a choice. You are a minor, Mr Potter.  
>      (quickly, before Harry can interrupt)  
> However, we have determined that, for the time being, it would be… safer, for you to remain here. Yes, well, of course you will be able to go home next summer, or perhaps sooner if they contact us before then. Once things cool down a bit.
> 
> HARRY  
> They won’t. I’m not going back.

Lionel seems to decide it isn’t worth the argument.

> LIONEL  
> If you do stay here, the Ministry can send someone to escort you to King’s Cross on September first, to catch the Hogwarts express.
> 
> HARRY  
> Er… That’s alright. I can get there myself. I’m used to muggle transit, and… Most wizards aren’t exactly, um, subtle.
> 
> LIONEL  
> Are you certain?

 

CUT TO:  
INT. LONDON UNDERGROUND, TWO YEARS EARLIER

Harry, eleven, is squeezed in a seat next to HAGRID. Hagrid is about five times the size of anyone else on the train, and pretty much everyone is staring and whispering. Harry squirms under the attention, trying to hide behind Hagrid.

 

BACK AT THE LEAKY CAULDRON

> HARRY  
> I’m used to doing things on my own.

Lionel looks unhappy about this, but there’s sudden commotion across the room as a large group comes in — a family or redheads. The Weasleys. We can just hear the youngest of the four boys, RON, speaking:

 

> RON  
> Mum, can’t I just wait until Seamus gets here? I told him I’d meet him.

We don’t hear MRS WEASLEY’s reply, because when Harry spots the youngest Weasley and only girl, GINNY, his eyes go wide, and for a moment we see into his mind as memories from the previous year collide:

 

> RON (OS)  
> You killed her! He killed my sister! He’s the heir of Slytherin—
> 
> TOM RIDDLE (OS)  
> How curious that you, the child of the two who killed Lord Voldemort, can speak Parseltongue. But it doesn’t matter, because soon you, too, will be dead —

Ginny Weasley’s body lies cold and still on the floor, but suddenly she gasps in air and her eyes open, and the first thing she sees is —

 

> GINNY  
> Harry?

 

BACK AT THE LEAKY CAULDRON

Harry quickly looks away. 

> HARRY  
> Can I go now?
> 
> LIONEL  
> Are you sure you’ll be fine on your own?
> 
> HARRY  
> I’m thirteen, Mr Willow, not five. Can I go?
> 
> LIONEL  
> Willoughby. It’s— yes. You can go.

Harry quickly jumps to his feet, hurrying away.

> LIONEL (CONT’D)  
> But send that letter to Madame Hopkirk!

Harry is gone before he finishes.

 

EXT. DIAGON ALLEY 

Even though it is still early, there are already crowds beginning to form, as the rush of Hogwarts students coming for supplies has just begun. We hear bits of conversation, adults complaining over the price of potions ingredients, children begging for the newest broom — the FIREBOLT, seen displayed in the window of one of the shops, Quality Quidditch Supplies, where a group is already gathering. Near the back, we see three children of varying ages, peering through the crowd, and catch their conversation:

> TEENAGE GIRL  
> It’s the prototype of the new Firebolt.
> 
> LITTLE GIRL  
> Let me see! Let me see!
> 
> BOY  
> I’ve heard it’s the favorite for the World Cup!

But Harry’s not listening — he squeezes past them and turns into the narrow alley next to the shop, leaning up against the wall next to a stack of crates. We can see his hands are shaking, and he pulls up his sleeve to reveal a circular scar on his arm—

The image of the basilisk lunges towards us—

 Harry flinches back into the bricks, his hand covering the scar as he squeezes his eyes shut. Memories continue to intrude:

> DUMBLEDORE (OS)  
> Your parents would be proud of you, Harry… And I’m sure the Weasleys will want to give their thanks...
> 
> HARRY (OS)  
> Don’t tell them it was me.
> 
> DUMBLEDORE  
> Don’t tell them?
> 
> HARRY  
> Please. I don’t want — I don’t want the rumors to start again. That I’m the Heir of Slytherin. I’m not.
> 
> DUMBLEDORE  
> I’m afraid, my boy, they already know.

He opens his eyes again, pulling his sleeve down over the scar. He opens the book bag momentarily, and looks inside, where there is a bundle of fabric — he puts his hand in it, and it disappears. This is his father’s old invisibility cloak. Being able to disappear calms his shaking.

But out of the corner of his eye, he spots movement, and jumps, pulling the book bag to his chest before he sees—

The mangy Dog, wagging its tail. Harry looks relieved, but then he frowns. He’s seen this dog before, in:

 

PRIVET DRIVE — EXTERIOR — NIGHT 

The night that he left, specifically. He stomps down the street, projecting his anger for all to see, dragging his trunk behind him. A vibrant bruise mottles his cheek. A rustling in the bushes startles him, and he sticks out his wand at it, just spotting the dog, but the in doing so he accidentally calls the Knight Bus: he’s thrown back from the street as it slams to a halt before him, and we’re thrown:

 

BACK TO DIAGON ALLEY

Maybe it’s just a similar-looking stray. Either way, he backs slowly away, closes his book bag again and turns towards the alley, steeling himself before disappearing out onto the street.

We quickly lose Harry in the crowd and pull up and backwards, Diagon Alley and the noise of the crowd winking out of existence as we pull back into muggle London, where an elevated train is approaching and cuts across the screen. The sound carries over to:

 

INT. HOGWARTS EXPRESS COMPARTMENT, DAY 

Harry sits alone. Students in the aisle peek in the window, hoping for a place to sit, but they spot him and move past. Harry is reading a copy of the Daily Prophet — we can just see the front, where the same image from the WANTED poster is pictured under the headline: SIRIUS BLACK STILL MISSING! MINISTRY INCOMPETENT? The door of the compartment opens, and Harry looks up to see: 

> NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM  
> There you are! I’ve been looking for you all over.

Harry smiles. This is one person he’s happy to see.

> HARRY  
> Well, I’ve been right here. Close the door, would you? Don’t need Malfoy or someone coming in here.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> He’s up at the other end of the train.
> 
> HARRY  
>      (alert)  
> Did he do something to you?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> No, no. You know he hasn’t bothered me s—since…

He stammers his way into awkward silence. 

> HARRY  
> Well, alright then. How was the rest of your summer? Did you get your new wand? 

Neville brightens up, pulling his wand out. He’s already in robes, unlike Harry. 

> NEVILLE  
> Cherry and unicorn hair. Gran wasn’t happy, since my old one was da’s, but Ollivander told her outright it couldn’t have worked for me. Too stubborn. That’s why it backfired on Lockhart. And…  
>      (leaning in, a bit quieter)  
> I tried a few spells, after what you wrote me about the Trace? And it’s… he was right, Ollivander. This wand, it’s… I actually felt like a wizard, you know? Like I could actually use magic. And Gran saw, but she couldn’t be that mad.
> 
> HARRY  
> Hermione Granger better watch out. You’ll be topping the class.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Don’t poke fun.
> 
> HARRY  
> I’m not! You’ve always worked twice as hard as any of us. Even her. But I never thought there’d be any reason to thank Lockhart.

Neville looks embarrassed but pleased as he laughs.

> NEVILLE  
> Me either. Who do you think the new Professor will be? I haven’t heard.

We leave them to their conversation, moving out to

 

INT. HOGWARTS EXPRESS HALLWAY, DAY

Where students are cheerfully running up and down the hallways.

PERCY WEASLEY, with a badge on his chest reading HEAD BOY, tries to chase down his twin brothers FRED and GEORGE, but is caught up not able to get past the crowd.

LEE JORDAN, a friend of theirs, is buying candy from the TROLLEY WITCH, and tosses Fred a chocolate frog as he goes by, but it slips from his hand and jumps into the hair of HERMIONE GRANGER, who shrieks and drops her new cat, CROOKSHANKS, ugly and orange, who jumps about a foot into the air, hissing.

Ron Weasley, going by with SEAMUS FINNIGAN and DEAN THOMAS, looks at the cat in disgust, shielding his pet rat, SCABBERS, against his chest.

He begins to warn Hermione off, but we go past this and down to the end of the train, the chatter growing distant, and in the last compartment find a man is huddled against the window, a shabby robe covering his head, though he is clearly asleep. But we don’t linger on him for long, moving out the window to:

 

EXT. HOGWARTS EXPRESS, DAY

As the train rolls through the countryside, the afternoon progresses, and we return to Harry and Neville’s conversation, later, and Neville is laughing.

 

INT. COMPARTMENT, DUSK 

> NEVILLE  
>  _Celestina Warbeck?_ No way. Well, maybe she’d do us all a favor and teach the Fat Lady how to sing, but — that’s almost as bad as Lockhart!
> 
> HARRY  
> I don’t think anyone could be as bad as Lockhart. Quirrel wasn’t even that bad, if you, you know, ignore the whole Voldemort thing.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Maybe it’ll be someone decent?
> 
> HARRY  
> Is that even possible? If the position really is cursed, they have to be running out of people to teach it… maybe we’ll be stuck with Snape.

As he speaks, we see fog beginning to form on the windows. Harry notices it. Neville does not. 

> NEVILLE  
> Don’t say that! You know he hates me — look! You’re giving me goosebumps.
> 
> HARRY  
> …Neville, I don’t think that’s —  

The train jolts to a halt, sending Neville toppling forward from his seat. A moment later, the lights in the compartment go out, too, and it is very quiet and still.

 

EXT. HOGWARTS EXPRESS

We pull back to see the Hogwarts Express over a raised bridge, as the lights in the compartments go out in a chain. A DARK FIGURE swoops past the camera, cutting us back to

 

INT. COMPARTMENT

> HARRY  
> Why are we stopped?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>      (stuttering)  
> H—H—H— Harry —
> 
> HARRY  
> What is it?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Th—th—there’s someth—thing —

He gives up speaking and points outside the window. Harry turns and looks just as another Dark Figure swoops past. 

> NEVILLE  
> Wh—wh—what —

Harry doesn’t know either, but he pulls out his wand and waves it at the door with the incantation:  _Collallis Duri_. We see the same golden spell that Lionel’s Priori Incantatem pulled from Harry’s wand earlier settle over the door — but before it can complete something comes sliding up the hall. It’s one of the Dark Figures, and its SKELETAL HAND reaches towards the door.  
  
Neville is wide-eyed, pressing back, but then he glances at Harry, who has gone pale and still. 

> NEVILLE  
>      (whispering)  
> Harry?

The rest of the golden spell dissolves away. The lock clicks. The door slides open. Neville shakes Harry’s arm.

> NEVILLE  
> Harry! 

The Dark Figure swoops into the doorway, looming over them. But we cut to a CLOSE UP of Harry’s face, eyes wide, and begin to hear a woman’s voice — 

> VOICE (OS, DISTANT)  
> Not Harry! Please, not Harry — 

Neville shakes him again —

> NEVILLE  
>      (voice breaking)  
> Harry!

But Harry is completely unresponsive. Neville looks up at the Dark Figure, which is clearly looking towards Harry. He swallows, and then stands up, fists clenched,

> NEVILLE  
>      (shaky)  
> St—st—stay b—back!

The Dark Figure looks at Neville, and we begin to hear whispers — his grandmother and his great uncle telling him he’s no good at magic, the doctors in St Mungo’s discussing his parents, among others — but Neville stands firm. He remembers to get his wand out.

> NEVILLE  
> I’m w—w—warning you!

The Dark Figure leers forward, growing even taller —

But suddenly a WHITE LIGHT bursts forward. The Dark Figure lets out an inhuman sound and pulls away, and Neville covers his eyes at the brightness. When he opens them again, the figure is gone, and Neville stares in amazement, wondering what he’s done. He turns back to ask Harry, but as he does —

Harry faints to the floor. We FADE TO BLACK.

> NEVILLE  
> Harry!

In the darkness, we hear Harry’s dream. The woman’s voice from before is still at a distance. But as her pleading grows louder, it is layered with a Man’s Voice, calling his name as well, and it all grows more intense until:

 

A GREEN FLASH  

  

> VOICE (OS, MAN)  
> Harry?

 

Harry’s eyes open wide and he sits up from the floor, panting heavily. The compartment is lit again, and the train is moving, though it is dark outside, and there’s rain hitting the windows. The man from the last compartment is squatting on the floor next to him, and Neville is kneeling. Harry notices the man first, and scrambles back, looking around frantically.

> MAN (CONT’D)  
> Easy.
> 
> HARRY  
> What — What was that thing?

He jumps again as there is a loud snap. The man is holding two pieces of a chocolate bar, which he holds out to each of the boys. Harry takes it automatically. 

> MAN  
>  _That_ was a dementor.

Neville lets out a gasp, earning a glance from the others. He blushes and accepts the chocolate.

> MAN (CONT’D)  
> They were supposed to be searching for Sirius Black.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>      (shaken)  
> On— th—the H—Hogwarts Exp—ress?

The man doesn’t answer, standing up. 

> MAN*  
> I’m going to talk to the conductor. Eat that chocolate. It will help.

The man leaves. The door slides shut behind him.

> HARRY  
> What’s a dementor?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Th—th—ey g—guard Az—kaban. Th—e —prison.

Harry looks at Neville in concern, and purposefully takes a bite of the chocolate. Neville follows suit. They both look down at it in surprise, calming down. 

> HARRY  
> Was someone screaming?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> S—creaming?
> 
> HARRY  
> A woman. I heard a woman, she was…

He trails away. Neville looks concerned.  

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
> Who was that man?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Th—the new D—defense prof—essor. He scared th—the d— dementor away. He doesn’t s—eem that bad…
> 
> HARRY  
>      (trying to joke)  
> Just wait. Maybe he’ll turn out to be a...

But nothing seems funny, after the dementor. They both get up off the floor, returning to their seats. Percy Weasley goes by, peering in through the window, and moves on.

> NEVILLE  
>      (softly, carefully)  
> W—hy would they l—ook for Sirius Black on the train? You — you don’t think he’s coming to Hogwarts, do you?

 

CUT TO:  
INT. GREAT HALL, NIGHT 

The tables are filled with students waiting for dinner. ALBUS DUMBLEDORE, the headmaster, stands behind the staff table, addressing them: 

> DUMBLEDORE*  
> The Minister has assured me that the Dementors are just here as a precaution, and will remain stationed at the entrances of the school. However, I must be clear that there are to be no unsupervised trips off the grounds. They are not fooled by disguises or invisibility cloaks—

Harry and Neville, at Gryffindor table, glance at each other, then quickly away again.

> DUMBLEDORE (CONT’D)*  
> And it is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving.

Beside Harry, we find Fred and George, whispering.

> GEORGE  
> Do you suppose they know —
> 
> FRED  
> Nah, they can’t —

They catch Harry listening and cut off, but smile. Harry quickly looks away.

> DUMBLEDORE*  
> On a happier note, I would like to welcome our newest members of the staff! First, please join me in welcoming Professor Remus Lupin, who will be covering Defense Against the Dark Arts.

The students let out mixed applause as the man stands. Harry elbows Neville. 

> HARRY  
> Look at Snape!

Snape is seated next to Lupin, and clearly displeased by the arrangement.

> DUMBLEDORE*  
> I am also sorry to announce that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than our very own Rubeus Hagrid.

Hagrid stands, disturbing the table with a loud scraping sound. This time, there is strong applause from the Gryffindors, and no applause at all from Slytherin.* Harry looks up at the man in surprise, and claps readily.

The commotion dies, and Hagrid sits back down with another loud scrape.

> DUMBLEDORE  
> And now, what I’m sure you have all been waiting for: the feast! 

The tables fill with platters loaded with food, and the students dig in as Dumbledore sits.

> NEVILLE  
> Well, I’m glad we didn’t sign up for Care of Magical Creatures.
> 
> HARRY  
>      (offended)  
> What’s wrong with Hagrid?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> He scares me. And — remember Fluffy?

 

INT. HOGWARTS, FIRST YEAR

A THREE-HEADED DOG, growling over a terrified Harry and Neville. As they open their mouths to scream, we jump:

 

BACK TO THE GREAT HALL 

> HARRY  
> Never mind. You’re right.

They are interrupted by the girl sitting across from them: 

> HERMIONE  
> Who’s Fluffy?

Neville and Harry share a glance. Hermione is always curious, and they never know how much to tell her. 

> HARRY  
> Are you in Hagrid’s class?
> 
> HERMIONE  
> Yes, of course.
> 
> HARRY  
> Good luck.

As Hermione opens her mouth to push, THUNDER CRASHES in the ceiling. Many of the students jump, only burst into laughter as they realize it is just the enchantment that displays the outside sky, but we pull up through the ceiling to:

EXT. HOGWARTS 

Lightning briefly illuminating the castle, but we turn, panning down past the WHOMPING WILLOW and over the BLACK LAKE, rippling with the rain. We pass quickly through the trees of the FORBIDDEN FOREST, to a crumbling STONE WALL, and past more of the DEMENTORS floating through the air. Where they float, the rain turns to ice, and the water on the stones freezes.

But we don’t linger. We move along quickly, to a

EXT. MUGGLE STREET

A woman walks alone in the dark. She’s moving quickly, glancing around, passing parked cars and skirting streetlights. As she reaches the door of a row house and fumbles in her bag for her keys, she spots movement in the alley, lined with overflowing bins. 

> WOMAN  
>      (whispering)  
> Is someone there?

As the shadows shift more, she pulls a can of pepper spray from her purse.

> WOMAN  
> I’m armed!

She jumps as a car turns onto the street, and the lights flash across the dark alley, illuminating briefly the gaunt face of SIRIUS BLACK.

The woman screams.

Lights flicker on in the nearby houses. A head sticks out from the window across the street. Doorways open.

> WOMAN  
> It was him! That — that man from the telly! Sirius Black!

The muggles look stunned. 

> VOICE (OS)  
>  _Here?_ Are you — are you certain?
> 
> WOMAN  
> Yes I’m certain!
> 
> MAN IN THE WINDOW  
> Get inside and call the police! They say he has a gun!

All the muggles retreat, closing doors and windows, and the lights turn off, though we can spot faces peering out from between curtains. The woman hurries to unlock her door and move inside. A moment later, we hear her voice: 

> WOMAN  
>      (muffled)  
> Hello? Yes, I — I saw him… Sirius Black...

But we move away, into the alley, and through a hole in the chain-link fence at the other end, and catch up to…

The Dog, who drops a cleaned chicken bone. He moves forward, but cowers into the shadows as a moment later a cop car rushes past, lights flashing, and when it is gone jumps out, racing across the street, into the alley on the other side.

Thunder crashes again.

 

FADE TO BLACK.


	2. Episode 2

FADE IN:

  
INT. HOGWARTS HALL, DAY

 

Harry and Neville are just coming out of the GRYFFINDOR PORTRAIT HOLE when someone pushes past, knocking Harry and Neville into opposite walls. It’s Seamus.

> SEAMUS  
> Watch it, Potter.

Dean is right behind him, looking concerned, but hurries after his friend — and behind him is Ron. He makes eye contact with Harry, and lingers for a moment, but doesn’t say anything as he ducks by.

Fred and George are just behind him.

> GEORGE  
> Sorry about him.
> 
> HARRY  
> It’s nothing I’m not used to.
> 
> FRED  
> Yeah, well —
> 
> HARRY  
> Come on, Neville. Runes is on the other side of the castle.

They hurry away before Fred and George can finish. The twins look after, frowning, but we follow Harry and Neville on a truncated trip to:

INT. RUNES CLASSROOM, DAY

It is fairly small room, with only a handful of long tables with four chairs at each. They take one of the tables, and as they are getting out their things when Hermione comes in. She looks around for a place to sit.

Neville nudges Harry, gesturing to her. Harry glances around, and nods. 

> HARRY  
> Hermione?

She quickly comes to sit with them. Before she can make any comment, Draco comes in, posse in tow, his arm in a sling and moaning about how painful it is.

> HARRY  
> What happened to him?
> 
> HERMIONE  
> He insulted a hippogriff in Care of Magical Creatures. It attacked, but I saw it. It wasn’t even bleeding.
> 
> HARRY  
> He probably deserved it.
> 
> HERMIONE  
> Maybe. He says —
> 
> HARRY  
>       (sarcastic)  
> ‘My father will hear about this?’
> 
> HERMIONE  
> His father can get Hagrid fired.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Why would he want to —

The bell cuts him off as an elderly witch with a stack of books and papers comes in through a side door, setting them on the front table and beaming at the students. She flicks her wand at the board, and chalk draws her name — BATHSHEDA BABBLING — first in English and then in two types of runes.

> BABBLING  
> Good morning everyone!
> 
> CLASS  
>       (mumbling)  
> Good morning…
> 
> BABBLING  
>       (good natured)  
> It’s third period! Are you all still asleep? Ah, me too.

The class titters. This is the first class, so they’re not sure what to expect, but Babbling seems genuine.

> BABBLING (CONT’D)  
> So. Welcome to your first class of Ancient Runes. Since you’re here, that means you chose not to take Divination. I’m no seer, but I think you’ll find you’ve made an excellent choice.
> 
> Now. Runes. If there’s only one thing you take away from this lesson, it is that runes have no power on their own. Just like spell incantations — if I simply recite _wingardium leviosa,_ without the proper ritual — which is to say the performance of the wand motion and focused magical intent — the words themselves hold no magic.
> 
> But _with_ just a hair of intent, runes can create some of the most powerful magic in the world. All it takes is a bit of cleverness and attention to detail and a generous dose of creativity, and even students at the beginning of their study can scribe spells and imbue enchantments with the potential to outlast their creators.

Though long-winded, Babbling is a confident speaker, and unlike another Professor with a practiced speech for his first lesson — Snape — the students are encouraged.

Also unlike with Snape’s speech, as she speaks, Harry is only half listening. Instead, he’s flipping open his book (previously new and uncracked) and idly flipping the pages, several of which contain tables of information regarding specific runes. On one page, he spots ‘SOWILO’ (ᛋ), which in the image looks familiar: like the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. He nudges Neville, who glances up.

> BABBLING (CONT’D)  
> However, the first step to any form of rune magic is, of course, the alphabet. As you can see on the board, I have written my name three times: first in the Roman alphabet, second in Elder Futhark, and third in the Composite Script. Going off of what I just told you, which of these three is the most magically powerful?

There’s a pause, and then, predictably, Hermione raises her hand.

> HERMIONE  
> The Composite Script.
> 
> BABBLING  
> Why?
> 
> HERMIONE  
> What you said. Creativity, cleverness, attention to detail…  Each of the letters is a combination of several parts to create a unique meaning paired to a specific sound. For instance, the four ‘B’s in ‘Bathsheda Babbling’ are all written with different characters, presumably chosen to convey a specific meaning. With the composite alphabet, you can write the same words in nearly infinite combinations to convey precisely the meaning you wish to.
> 
> BABBLING  
> A succinct explanation of the composite script.

Hermione looks proud, for the moment, though Harry and Neville are exchanging glances. Wondering what they’ve gotten themselves into, knowing nothing about runes.

> BABBLING (CONT’D)  
> Does anyone else want to offer a different argument?

Hermione frowns. After a second, Draco raises his hand — the one not in a sling — to do what he does best: disagree with Hermione.

> DRACO  
> The Elder Futhark.
> 
> BABBLING  
> And your argument?
> 
> DRACO  
> Tradition. The Composite alphabet is a recent invention, while Elder Futhark has been in use in enchanting for nearly two centuries, because it is powerful.
> 
> BABBLING  
> Also an argument with merit.

Draco shoots a self-satisfied glance towards the back of Hermione’s head, but Babbling isn’t done yet:

> BABBLING (CONT’D)  
> Will anyone make the argument for the Roman Alphabet? Yes —

A Ravenclaw, PADMA PATIL — twin to Gryffindor’s Parvati — answers:

> PADMA  
> The Roman Alphabet has been in use for far longer than Elder Futhark runes. And it’s probably the way your name’s been written most often, and what most people can read, so it has more meaning.
> 
> BABBLING  
> Very good. However, there is another option here. Has anyone spotted it yet? Think back on what I told you.

She waits, but most of the students are studying the board as though the answer is written between the letters of her name. But after a moment, a Hufflepuff slowly raises her hand — SUSAN BONES.

> BABBLING  
> Yes?
> 
> SUSAN  
> None of them?
> 
> BABBLING  
> Explain.
> 
> SUSAN  
> When you wrote them, you just, uhm, wrote them. Without any intent to give them power. So all three are the same… just different ways of writing the same thing.
> 
> BABBLING  
>  Very good. _Very_ good. At this point, none of you — well, clearly some of you _have_ opened the textbook, or come with previous knowledge. However, I want to erase the idea that runes on their own are somehow powerful. It is a surprisingly common misconception, especially among those who haven’t studied runes. They take an object to be enchanted, and assume it’s just a matter of scribbling down some marks. So: in one lesson, I hope I’ve impressed on you that much. If I have, you’re already ahead of a good majority of witches and wizard out there in the world. Congratulations.

More laughter — though not from Hermione, who is writing this down. Draco, however, doesn’t like to be shown up. He raises his hand again, and Babbling calls on him.

> DRACO  
>  You asked us which is the most magically powerful, Professor. And _potential_ is a form of power. The Roman Alphabet is the only one of these three that doesn’t have magical potential. The Composite Alphabet can create more specific meaning, but at the cost of power. The Futhark Alphabet has the most potential for power, so it is still the most powerful.
> 
> BABBLING  
> A familiar argument, Mr…?
> 
> DRACO  
> Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.
> 
> BABBLING  
> Mr Malfoy. I suspect you had some coverage of runes before Hogwarts? Yes. That theory is taught by those with a limited understanding of the subject — and OWL-level understanding, we shall say. If you were to have this question on the OWL, that could be your answer, and then you would come tell me after, so I could give the test-writers a piece of my mind.
> 
> In the end, the power of a piece of magic depends most heavily on the caster. For you, as a beginner — and perhaps for the majority of those who study runes — the Elder Futhark will have the most potential to be powerful. In the hands of a master? The form is unimportant except for how they use it, so they are of equal potential.
> 
> But _potential_ does not matter. If I give you two books, identical in every way except the text inside, it does not matter whether one is full of gibberish and the other the accumulated knowledge of Merlin. Until you use one — that is to say, read one — they are merely objects.
> 
> DRACO  
> But my father said —
> 
> BABBLING  
>  Your father is not the Professor of this course, thankfully, or I’d be out of a job. A word of warning, Mr Malfoy: if you come into runes with an inflexible attitude, you will limit your own potential. In that way, the Elder Futhark is the _least_ magically powerful, because many a wizard has fallen for the trick of superiority by similarity, limiting their overall creation.
> 
> Of course, you can always choose not to believe me. You are welcome not to. You will most likely pass your OWL. But that is a rather baseline ambition for a wizard studying runes, don’t you think?

Draco doesn’t reply this time, and Babbling glances up at the clock. Its numbers have been replaced by what look like depictions of magical creatures.

> BABBLING (CONT’D)  
>  Goodness! Look at me babbling on. Right. Best get to it. We _are_ going to start with Elder Futhark, regardless of power or potential, and that means we need to get started learning, doesn’t it? Our first task will be simple. Take out a sheet of parchment. Each of you will transcribe your name — your given name into runes, and for each rune you will provide a basic description of meaning. And group up! No doubt many of you share letters in your names!

The class begins to move — except Hermione, who is still frantically writing. Harry leans over to Neville, whispering:

> HARRY  
> So… did any of that make sense to you?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Runes can be magical. Or not.

They both giggle, but quickly close their mouths when Hermione turns to them, ready to get to work.

 

AFTER, the bell rings, and the students gather their things.

> BABBLING  
> That’s it for today? Alright. Your homework is to do the same for the rest of your name. I want you to have covered at least ten runes, so if your name has less runes than that, choose a few more to look into.

Hermione turns to Harry and Neville.

> HERMIONE  
> It’s defense next, isn’t it.
> 
> HARRY  
> Yeah?
> 
> HERMIONE  
> Shall we go together, then?
> 
> HARRY  
> Er, you two go on ahead. I, er, wanted to ask the Professor about something.

He heads up to the front of the classroom, where Professor Babbling is gathering together her stack of books.

> HARRY  
> Professor?
> 
> BABBLING  
>  Mr Potter. A question?
> 
> HARRY  
> Yes, it’s only, I was wondering… I couldn’t help but — I’ve got this…

After a moment, he pushes aside his fringe, revealing a lightning bolt-shaped scar that bisects his forehead. Babbling peers at it from across the desk, then comes around the table, lifting up her glasses.

> BABBLING  
>  A scar? Curious. You’re wondering about _sowilo._
> 
> HARRY  
> Yes, Professor.

After a moment, she steps back, returning to her task, and Harry lets his hair fall.

> BABBLING  
>  A curious mark for a scar. Most often, curse scars, as they come from, well, curses, reflect the nature of the curse. _Sowilo,_ however… it is a symbol given the meaning ‘sun’, which can be interpreted as strength, heat, power, or light. How did you get that scar?
> 
> HARRY  
> My parents — um, James and Lily Potter? Dumbledore says I got the scar the night Voldemort murdered them. A rebound from — from whatever my mother did, that destroyed him. Or whatever he did to kill her.

She only slightly starts at the use of Voldemort’s name.

> BABBLING  
>  The former, I think. You-Know-Who was, after all, a _Dark_ Lord. As for _sowilo_ … well, each of the runes comes with lines from the rune poems as one means of interpreting them. _Sol._ In the Old Norse:   
>     (reciting) _  
>  _
> 
> _Sun is the shield of the clouds  
>  _ _and shining ray  
>  _ _and destroyer of ice._
> 
> It is a curse scar, but I would be willing to bet that the form it takes is a reflection of your mother, not the Dark Lord. A mark of protection, and hope. A ‘light in the dark’, you might say. Of course, there is no way for me to prove that, but unless you find out for certain otherwise, it would be the happier course, to read it like that. Does that answer your question?

Harry hesitates before he nods.

> HARRY  
> Thank you, Professor.
> 
> BABBLING  
> Of course, Mr Potter. I’d hurry along, if I were you. Don’t want to be late to class.

Harry turns to leave. He’s nearly to the door when Babbling calls out again —

> BABBLING (CONT’D)  
> Mr Potter? I’d avoid worrying about it too much. It’s better not to let these things define you.

Harry nods again before hurrying out into the hall. Once he’s there, he stops to adjust his bag, glancing over his shoulder.

> HARRY  
>       (muttering)  
>  Easy for her to say. 

But then the bell rings, and he jumps, breaking into a down the hall, hurrying to get to his next class, with :

> LUPIN (OS)  
> What is it that you most fear?

 

INT. STAFFROOM, DAY

The Gryffindor and Slytherin students crowd around the staff room, some of them sitting in armchairs or on tables, which have all been moved to the edge of the room. Lupin stands near a wardrobe, which rattles abruptly, making several jump. He smiles wryly, and the tension dissolves into tittering laughter, 

> LUPIN  
> Nothing to worry about. Mr Filch has been kind enough to leave us today’s creature—any guesses?

Hermione’s hand shoots straight into the air. There’s a bit of space around her, and she gets a few side-eyed looks.

> LUPIN  
> Yes, Miss—?
> 
> HERMIONE  
> Hermione Granger, sir. It’s a boggart.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Very good. A boggart! A nasty thing to run into, out in the wild… can anyone tell me why?

Hermione’s hand shoots up again, but Lupin nods to another student. Draco, sitting perched on a table, CRABBE and GOYLE standing on either side of him. He doesn’t look impressed, but he’s mostly looking down his nose at Hermione.

> DRACO  
> They change forms to represent your worst fear, which any magical child could tell you. It’s a household pest.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Then perhaps you know how to deal with them, Mr Malfoy?

Malfoy sulks. He doesn’t have the answer.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
> No? Perhaps you, Neville?

Neville is surprised to be called on, or perhaps surprised that Lupin has remembered his name.

> NEVILLE  
> L—aughter.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Very good!  
>       (to the class)  
>  A boggart, whose very existence depends on a person’s fears, cannot survive us laughing at it. And so the charm we use against it is simple: _Riddikulous_ _._ Now you:
> 
> CLASS  
>       (mumbling)  
> Riddikulous.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Riddikulous.
> 
> CLASS  
>       (clearer)  
>  Riddikulous. 
> 
> DRACO*  
>  (aside)  
> This class is ridiculous.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Excellent. Now, may I have a volunteer — yes, Miss Granger, thank you, come forward. Thin: what is it you fear most? 

Hermione thinks about it for a moment, then turns red, but Lupin smiles, encouraging. 

> LUPIN  
> Don’t be shy.

Hermione mumbles something. In the background, Draco begins to look more interested.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
> Speak up.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>       (still quiet)  
> Failing my classes.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Failing classes! We’ve all feared that. Well, that’s simple enough to change. Have you got it?

Hermione begins to look more confident, and nods.

> LUPIN  
> Now, I want you to picture it — everyone else, too! We’re all going to get a turn. Close your eyes, and think of what it is you fear the worst. And then, imagine how you can make it funny. As clearly as you can.

The class obeys, but Harry glances over at Neville, and spies him chewing on his lip.

> LUPIN  
> Ready, Hermione?

She nods, holding up her wand, and Lupin opens the door of the wardrobe.

Out steps PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL, looking stern as ever, holding a piece of paper.

> MCGONAGALL (BOGGART)  
> I have your results, Ms Granger, and I’m afraid…

We see Hermione’s lips quiver as she turns the paper around.

> LUPIN (OS)  
>  Steady, Hermione… 

Hermione steels herself, and flicks her wand —

> HERMIONE  
> Riddikulous!

We see what Hermione had seen — a 0 at the top of the page in angry red ink — but only for a moment as more ink appears, changing it to 110, underlined. Lupin looks confused for a moment — this isn’t what he thought of — but Hermione beams. There’s a few snorts from around the room, more at Hermione than the change, though the effect is the same: the Boggart’s steps falter, Professor McGonagall’s face turning with confusion.

> LUPIN  
> Very good! Form a line!

The students look more eager now, and jostle to get in line, but Harry holds back Neville, and they go at the very end.

The class speeds by: We see Ron remove a spider’s legs, leaving it rolling, Seamus’s banshee begins to sing opera, Parvati’s mummy trips over its own bandages. At last we come to Harry, stepping in front of Neville, but before the boggart can fully change Lupin steps between them.* 

The boggart becomes a single glowing orb, which with a lazy flick Lupin changes into a balloon, which flies back into the wardrobe.* 

The bell rings. The students, enjoying themselves, groan.

> LUPIN*  
> That’s all for today! Sorry, sorry…

Harry frowns, but grabs his bag and follows Neville out of the room.

> HARRY  
> That was strange, wasn’t it?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Maybe? I’m just glad I didn’t have to face it.
> 
> HARRY  
> What were you thinking of?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  (whispering)  
>  P—professor Snape. 

Harry agrees: that would have been bad.

> NEVILLE (CONT’D)  
> You?
> 
> HARRY  
> ...the Dementors.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>       (hesitant)  
>  M—maybe we should’ve had a go. S—o they’re less frightening, you know? 
> 
> HARRY  
>  I don’t think anything would make them less frightening. 

We follow his gaze out the window, and move on, to

 

EXT HOGWARTS, DAY

and forward in time, in hour and season. The leaves on the Whomping Willow turn gold as we pass them, as do the trees of the

 

EXT FORBIDDEN FOREST, EVENING

Dementors float above the canopy. A deer looks up, startled, its ears flicking, a fawn pressing against its legs, but the Dementor passes. Then the animal hears a CRACK of breaking branches, and darts into the underbrush, her fawn just behind, disappearing out of sight.

The Dog emerges, crawling up from a hole underneath a tree. It shakes itself, scattering leaves and debris, and growls after the Dementor. Then it turns, and trots away, and we pan up and see that he is moving towards Hogwarts, where the sun is setting. But we dawn again on:

 

INT GREAT HALL, DAY

Harry and Neville are leaning over their runes homework when Seamus comes rushing towards the table nearby where Ron and Dean sit, waving a copy of the DAILY PROPHET.

> SEAMUS  
> He’s been sighted!
> 
> RON  
> Who?
> 
> SEAMUS  
> Black! Sirius Black! Another muggle — this time in Dufftown!
> 
> DEAN  
> Well, that’s further away from here, isn’t it? Maybe they’ll take the Dementors away now.

Harry and Neville, not part of the conversation, put their heads together.

> NEVILLE  
>      (whispering)  
> What is everyone so convinced he’s coming here for? Shouldn’t he be looking for V—V—V— You-know-who?   
> 
> HARRY  
>      (sarcastic)  
> Well, maybe he’s seen the papers the last few years, Voldemort’s been— 

They’re cut off by two hands clapping down on their shoulders, and both jump, looking up to find OLIVER WOOD, an older Gryffindor, grinning down at them.

> OLIVER  
> Ready for quidditch tomorrow, Harry?
> 
> HARRY  
> Yes, Oliver.
> 
> OLIVER  
> I’ve been thinking, we should go out for some extra practice —

Harry is saved by Fred and George, who loop their arms though Oliver’s.

> FRED  
> If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re trying to kill our seeker, Oliver.
> 
> GEORGE  
> We had practice yesterday —
> 
> FRED  
> And the day before that —
> 
> GEORGE  
> And the day before that —
> 
> FRED  
> And Harry needs his beauty sleep, doesn’t he?

He reaches forward to ruffle Harry’s hair, but Harry dodges. 

> HARRY  
> I’m ready, Oliver. Really.
> 
> OLIVER  
> Well, you’d better be, because no matter what, we’re going to win!

The screen slowly FADES TO WHITE as in the background, we begin to hear the sound of cheering, chants of GRYFFINDOR! and HUFFLEPUFF! ramping for the

 

CUT TO:  
INT. HOSPITAL WING, DAY

Harry, lying groaning on a hospital wing bed, blurs into sight as MADAME POMFREY leans over him, putting his glasses on his face. He’s wearing his red quidditch robes. And soaking the blankets. The GRYFFINDOR QUIDDITCH TEAM and Neville stand around him, dripping water onto the floor.

> HARRY  
> ...what happened?
> 
> MADAME POMFREY  
> Dementors! On the quidditch pitch! This is an outrage, absolutely an outrage…

Harry looks confused as she shuffles away.

KATIE BELL, ANGELINA JOHNSON, and ALICIA SPINNET, the chasers on the team, explain:

> KATIE  
> Dumbledore was furious. Professor Lupin sent some sort of charm after them…
> 
> ANGELINA  
> A Patronus Charm. He told us about it in class.
> 
> ALICIA  
> Said it’s really advanced magic, the only way to scare away dementors… 

Dementors. Harry remembers.

 

EXT SKY ABOVE THE QUIDDITCH PITCH DAY (RAIN) 

We see glimpses of them, swooping past him as he flew through the rain, and hear the Woman’s Voice beginning to grow louder again, the words clear now, accompanied by another, a man’s voice, high and clear:

> WOMAN’S VOICE (OS)  
> Not Harry! Please, not Harry —
> 
> MAN’S VOICE (OS)  
> Stand aside, you silly girl —
> 
> WOMAN’S VOICE (OS)  
> Take me instead! Please — 

As one of the dementors gets close to his broom, and in a close up of Harry’s face his eyes go wide —

MATCH CUT:  
In the present he shakes it off, rubbing his forehead, and we pull back to see the

 

INT HOSPITAL WING DAY 

> HARRY  
> Where’s Oliver?
> 
> GEORGE*  
> In the showers.
> 
> FRED*  
> We think he’s trying to drown himself.
> 
> HARRY  
> Did we win? 

His teammates shake their heads, and Harry slumps back against his pillows, and that’s when he notices the BUNDLE on the side table. He starts to reach for it, but Neville grabs his hand. 

> HARRY  
> What is that?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Th—th—the Wh—whomping W—illow, Harry, your broom, it… 

Harry glances at it, and someone moves the cloth, so we can see the scraps of wood.

> HARRY  
> Is it…
> 
> ANGELINA  
> Flitwick says it’s beyond repair.

Harry looks crushed, but he notices that Neville’s hand is shaking, holding on to his arm. He glances up at his friend and forces himself to smile.

> HARRY  
> Well, it’s just a broom…
> 
> GEORGE (OS)  
> It could be worse, Harry.
> 
> FRED  
> It could’ve been you!

Harry is not comforted by this. But he looks past the twins and sees Ginny Weasley’s head between the bodies, and quickly looks away again, as we hear:

> DRACO (OS)  
> Potter!

INT. HOGWARTS, DAY

The Great Hall is filled with Halloween decorations: floating jack-o-lanterns, thematic foods, bats flying across the enchanted ceiling. But we pull back to find Harry and Neville just coming out.

> DRACO (OS)  
> Hey! Potter! I’m talking to you!

Harry looks over at him. Draco’s perched on a window ledge, surrounded by his Slytherin friends — Crabbe and Goyle still snacking on cupcakes. Draco hops down off the window and saunters forward.

> DRACO  
> I can’t believe you actually fell off your broom, Potter. Should have seen yourself, plummeting down. Aren’t you supposed to be able to fly, to be allowed on the pitch?

The Slytherins jeer. Harry rolls his eyes, making to move on, but Neville stands firm.

> NEVILLE  
> Shove off, Malfoy. 

The Slytherins fall quiet, but DRACO barely glances at Neville before turning back to Harry. He’s determined.

> DRACO  
> Not very Gryffindor of you, fainting at a little dementor…

For a moment, we hear the echoes of the voice of the Sorting Hat, telling he could be _great_ in Slytherin, and, after the previous year, this makes Harry angry. He steps forward.

> HARRY  
> Oh, and I suppose you think you’re so brave? I suppose your arm really is injured, and you’re not just faking it because you’re _too scared_ to face Gryffindor in a fair match? _Very_ Slytherin. Assuming Slytherin means 'coward'.

Draco pulls back, offended, but then takes two steps forward, until he’s just a foot from Harry, speaking low.

> DRACO  
> You couldn’t do it. You couldn’t ride a Hippogriff.
> 
> HARRY  
> You want to bet?
> 
> DRACO  
>      (nastily)  
> Yeah, I do. Tomorrow, after classes, you meet me at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. We’ll settle this.
> 
> HARRY  
> If I do it, you tell your father to drop the case against Hagrid. And you take off that stupid sling.
> 
> DRACO  
> And if you can’t do it, if you chicken, you… 

He pauses, realizing he doesn’t have anything in mind.

> DRACO (CONT’D)  
> …owe me a favor. Anything. To be determined any time. 
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Harry, no…
> 
> HARRY  
> Fine.
> 
> DRACO  
> Fine. 

They shake on it.

> DRACO (CONT’D)  
> See you tomorrow, Potter. 

He leads the other Slytherins away, leaving Harry and Neville standing in the hallway.

> HARRY  
> So… do you know anything about Hippogriffs? 

Neville groans.

> HARRY  
> Don’t worry, Nev, it can’t be that difficult. I’ll just have to ask someone.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Hermione. She’ll be in the —
> 
> BOTH (TOGETHER)  
> Library.  

 

CUT TO:  
INT. LIBRARY, NIGHT

> HERMIONE (OS)  
> You did WHAT?!

We see Hermione, sitting at a table piled with a ridiculous amount of books. Harry and Neville are standing beside the table, though at her shriek they both look frantically around, slipping into the booth.

> HARRY & NEVILLE (TOGETHER)  
> Shh!
> 
> HERMIONE  
> You do you mean you told Malfoy you’d ride a Hippogriff?
> 
> HARRY  
> It can’t be that hard, if Hagrid had it for the first class.
> 
> HERMIONE  
> We weren’t _riding_ hippogriffs, we were trying to pet them without getting mauled!
> 
> HARRY  
> Okay, well… it’s got to be possible, right?
> 
> HERMIONE  
> Do you even know what a hippogriff is?
> 
> HARRY  
> A hippo… mixed with a griffin?

Hermione makes a disgusted sound, and snatches one of her books up, flipping rapidly through the pages until she finds what she is looking for. Harry looks down to see an ink illustration of a rearing animal that looks like a cross between a giant bird and a horse.

> HARRY  
> So definitely rideable, then.
> 
> HERMIONE  
> You’re ridiculous! I don’t have time — You’re going to get yourself hurt — or expelled!
> 
> HARRY  
> Look, Hermione, if I win the bet, Malfoy drops the case against Hagrid. Haven’t you seen him moping around?

 

INT. HOGWARTS, DAY

Hagrid trudges through the hall, looking somber. The students are giving him a wide berth — there’s a literal rain cloud following him around. Hagrid doesn’t seem to notice, staring at his feet.

 

BACK TO THE LIBRARY

> HERMIONE  
> Well, he has had us feeding flobberworms for weeks…
> 
> HARRY  
> Exactly. So how do I not get killed by a hippogriff? If anyone knows, it’s gotta be you.
> 
> HERMIONE  
> Well, what you’ve got to do is —

 

MATCH CUT:  
EXT. FORBIDDEN FOREST CLEARING, EVENING

A mid shot of Hermione, looking very nervous.

> HERMIONE  
>      (whispering)  
> Bow, Harry!

We see Harry, in the paddock, standing a few feet from BUCKBEAK — a hippogriff that looks more ferocious than the ink drawing suggested. Harry lowers himself in a shaky bow.

Draco stands a good distance away, with a few of his Slytherin friends — PANSY PARKINSON included. He’s confident that Harry will fail, and a bit nervous, not that he’ll show it.

Buckbeak turns his head to look at Harry with one golden eye, clacking his beak. Harry notices how long the talons are, curling through the leaves.

Hermione and Neville stand a good ways off, closer to the pen, but still outside the short stone wall. Neville is clutching Harry’s bag to his chest.

> NEVILLE  
>      (muttering)  
> Come on, come on. 

Buckbeak makes a squawking sound and — bends his knee into a bow. Harry lets out a sigh of relief.

Over his shoulder, Neville looks about ready to faint, but Hermione is encouraging.

Harry takes a step forward, tentatively reaching his hand out — and Buckbeak butts his head into it, nuzzling.

> HARRY  
>      (shaky)  
> Okay, so, you’re a big bird.  
>      (to himself)  
> Just like Hedwig. But bigger.

The large beak nips at his fingers, and Harry winces.

> HARRY (CONT'D)  
> Just like Hedwig, only a hundred times as big and thousand times as likely to kill me. 

Buckbeak preens. Apparently, he takes that as a compliment.

Draco, in the background, looks furious. He’s got his friends here for the show, after all.

> DRACO  
> Are you going to just stand there, Potter? The deal was that you’d ride him!

Buckbeak makes an irritated sound. Harry swallows, Adam’s apple bobbing. He’s very close to Buckbeak’s face. 

> HARRY  
>      (softly)  
> What do you say, Buckbeak? Want to help Hagrid keep his job?

The golden eye studies him for a long, tense moment, and then — Buckbeak bows, sinking his knees forward so Harry can climb on. Harry does so, delicately, settling his legs in the crook of the wings. When Buckbeak stands, Harry wraps his arms tightly around the feathered neck, squeezing his eyes shut — but Buckbeak steadies himself, and Harry opens his eyes, blinking with surprise. He sits up a bit.

> HARRY  
> Huh. I’m… riding… a hippogriff. 

Buckbeak tosses his head, and Harry quickly releases his arms, patting the side of his neck. He finally looks back towards the others. 

Neville seems to have given up watching, and is slumped against a tree, a hand over his eyes. But Hermione turns towards Draco.

> HERMIONE  
> There, Malfoy. A deal’s a deal, isn’t it? Are you going to write your father, or do you have no honor at all?
> 
> DRACO  
> Don’t you talk to me about honor, you m— _What’s that!_

Something leaps out of the shadowy bushes — the Dog, snarling! 

As Buckbeak rears back, letting out a startled cry, Harry has to grab around his neck again not to fall off.

> PANSY  
>      (shrieking)  
> The Grim!
> 
> DRACO  
>      (trying to save face)  
> Don’t be stupid, it’s just —

The dog stalks forward, growling, and the Slytherins bolt. Then he turns to Hermione and Neville and — wags his tail.

Harry is trying to calm Buckbeak.

> HARRY  
> Woah, buddy, easy, alright?

But Buckbeak is now agitated. Harry hurries to jump off his back and gets back over the stone wall, away from the ruffled hippogriff. 

He looks at the dog.

> HARRY  
> What did Parkinson call it?
> 
> HERMIONE  
> ‘The Grim’. A death omen. It’s something Trelawny’s always on about in Divination — and complete rubbish if you ask me. Her class is a joke. 
> 
> HARRY  
> A death omen?

He looks at the dog. Its tail stops wagging, and for a moment it stares into space, absolutely still — and suddenly bounds forward — chasing a SQUIRREL up the tree Neville’s leaning against.

Hermione laughs as Neville falls over. The dog jumps over to him, licking his face, and then away, darting after something else.

> HARRY  
> I don’t think that dog’s going to kill anyone any time soon, unless it’s to be death by licking.
> 
> HERMIONE  
> I wonder where it came from? Is anyone feeding it?

Neville is trying to get the drool off his face.

> NEVILLE  
>     (disgusted)  
> Maybe it eats faces. 

But Harry looks puzzled.

> HARRY  
> You know, I think I saw that dog in— 

He’s cut off by a voice through the trees:

> HAGRID (OS)  
> Is someone there?! I’d better not catch you disturbing Beaky—

The three Gryffindors exchange glances. Harry grabs Hermione, pulling her down into the leaves next to Neville with him, and reaches for his book bag, removing from it the INVISIBILITY CLOAK, which he casts over them just in time.

Hagrid charges into the clearing, looking around, but then he spots Buckbeak, still agitated.

> HAGRID  
> Woah, _woah_ , Beaky! It’s just me, easy… 

He easily steps over the stone fence, entering the paddock, and approaches Buckbeak. 

We peek under the cloak, spotting Harry watching Hagrid, hand clamped over Hermione’s mouth and oblivious to her anger, and Neville, squeezed in with them, bright red.

> HAGRID (CONT’D)  
> I know, I know. You don’t like being alone out here. Did that Malfoy boy try to bother you? I try to be fair, but that Malfoy, well, he’s a real piece of work isn’t he? 

He lets out a choked sob.

Harry looks over to Hermione, realizes he’s still got his hand on her mouth, and quickly removes it, bringing one finger to his lips.

> HAGRID (CONT’D)  
> Oh, Beaky… what are we going to do? I can’t fight Lucius sodding Malfoy! But if I don’t, you’ll — you’ll — 

Buckbeak nips fondly at him. Hagrid pats his neck, sniffing.

> HAGRID (CONT’D)  
> Come on, let’s… let’s go visit the others. Just for a while. Not like it really matters… 

He leads Buckbeak off into the trees.

Harry lets out a sigh of relief, then realizes how close he is to the others and jumps up, quickly offering Neville a hand. He offers Hermione one too, but she’s already standing, dusting off her robes.

> HERMIONE  
> Well, hopefully Malfoy keeps his word. Not that I’d trust him as far as I can throw him, but…
> 
> NEVILLE  
> He said it in front of the Slytherins, and they saw. He’ll have to do it. 

Hermione does not look convinced. 

> HERMIONE  
> I’m going up to the castle. And… you won’t _ever_ talk me into doing something that _ridiculous_ again, Harry Potter. 

She turns and walks away,

> HARRY  
>      (calling after her)  
> Thank you?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> We should go too, Harry. Before H— Hagrid gets back.
> 
> HARRY  
> Yeah, okay. 

They begin to walk, Harry shoving the invisibility cloak into his bag as they go, but suddenly Neville stops.

> NEVILLE  
> Hey, did she just say she’s in Divination? 
> 
> HARRY  
> Um, I guess, yeah.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Only, it’s Runes at the same time as Divination, isn’t it?

They both stare down the path, and we pull up to see her walking up the slope to Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note - I switched the update day for this fic to every other Wednesday, as the formatting takes quite a while and it is too much to do this and _not to die_ both on Saturdays.  
>  Thanks for reading!


	3. Episode 3

EXT. HOGWARTS, DAY

 

Snow begins to fall. A shape comes on screen, and we follow HEDWIG, Harry’s snowy owl, as she swoops over the courtyard full of WAITING STUDENTS and up to the owlery, where we once again find Harry and Neville, waiting.

> NEVILLE  
>  There she is!

Harry looks up, hopeful, and holds out his arm. Hedwig swoops gracefully to land on it. She has an envelope in her beak. Harry scratches her, but…

> NEVILLE  
>  Did they sign it? 

Harry takes the envelope, opening it with some difficulty, and pulls out the HOGSMEADE PERMISSION SLIP. At the bottom, where there’s a spot for the PARENT OR GUARDIAN to sign, we see a scribbled note:  _ YOU BLEW UP MY SISTER, AND YOU DARE ASK FOR PERMISSION?  _ There’s no indication which of the Dursleys it is from. It crumples in Harry’s fist.

> HARRY  
>  They didn’t sign it.

Neville deflates, but he quickly perks up again.

> NEVILLE  
>  If everyone else is in Hogsmeade, Professor L—upin should be free, right? We can ask him about the boggart, and —
> 
> HARRY  
>  No, Nev; you should go. Don’t hang around here ‘cause of me. 
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Why would I want to go without you? Come on.

He leads the way down the stairs. Harry stares after him. Hedwig takes off without prompting, and he blinks, hurrying down and through the door to — 

> LUPIN (OS)  
>  Come in.

 

INT. LUPIN’S OFFICE, DAY

Lupin looks up in from his book as Harry and Neville enter his office. He smiles and sets it aside.

> LUPIN  
>  Hello, boys. Not off to Hogsmeade?
> 
> HARRY  
> I don’t have permission.
> 
> LUPIN  
>     (puzzled)  
> Well, what can I do for you?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> W—w—w— we were w—w—w—   

He glances over to Harry.

> HARRY  
>  We were wondering if you still had the boggart.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Ah. Not the one from class, but there are others in the castle. Filch mentioned one in the old Alchemy classroom. Do you want to face it?

Harry glances at Neville, who nods.

> HARRY  
>  Why didn’t you let us, that day?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Frankly, Harry, I assumed that your boggart would be Lord Voldemort. I didn’t think it would be a good start of the year to have him show up to class, no?
> 
> HARRY  
>  You know about my parents.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I  _ knew _ your parents. And yours, Neville, though not as well. We were all in school together.

Harry glances at Neville again. He’s gone quite still.

> HARRY  
> Everyone says I look like my dad.
> 
> LUPIN  
> You do. And you have your mother’s eyes. I don’t think you’re quite like either of them, though.
> 
> HARRY  
> Why’s that?
> 
> LUPIN  
>      (fondly)  
> James was always getting us into trouble. He loved playing pranks, and was always at the center of everything — he could be quite callous about it too; he drove Lily mad, until he grew up a bit. You’re much more mature than he ever was, Harry, though I suppose you’d have to be.  
>      (to Neville)  
> And you, Neville, well, you have have your father’s gentle heart, and your mother’s resolution. I’ve heard you’re strong in Herbology? Your father had a black thumb — our third year, he almost got strangled by Devil’s Snare. Quite an eventful day, that.

Harry can’t hide a smile, remembering their:

 

FIRST YEAR, THROUGH THE TRAP DOOR

as they landed in a web of Devil’s Snare. Harry had panicked the moment it started to wrap around him, but Neville had been delighted.

> NEVILLE  
> We can’t light it on fire! It’s supposed to be wicked rare —
> 
> HARRY  
>  I don’t think rare is the issue when it’s going to eat us!
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  E— eat? Oh, uh — um… Sprout said… oh! We just have to relax!
> 
> HARRY  
>  Relax?!

Neville nods, and closes his eyes for a moment, and slowly begins to sink through the vines, down to —

BACK IN THE OFFICE

Neville’s eyes are wide, but he’s not unhappy — just surprised.

> HARRY  
>  Well, I didn’t even think of Voldemort.
> 
> LUPIN  
> No? What did you think of?
> 
> HARRY  
> The dementors.
> 
> LUPIN*  
> You continue to surprise me. That suggests that what you fear is fear itself — very wise.
> 
> HARRY  
> Angelina said you knew a charm, to fight them.
> 
> LUPIN  
> The Patronus Charm.
> 
> HARRY  
> Can you teach me?

But Lupin is reluctant.

> LUPIN  
> It’s very advanced magic, Harry. There’s many full-grown wizards who can’t produce one.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Harry could do it.  
>     (self-conscious)  
> I— I m—mean...
> 
> HARRY  
> I at least want to try. Even if it just a boggart — I couldn’t think of any way to make a dementor funny.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Well, alright…  
>      (glancing at the clock)  
> I suppose if you want to face the boggart, we’d better do it now. I don’t have time to teach you about the Patronus… not until after the holiday, I think, when I have more energy. 

He stands up and leads the way out of the office. Harry and Neville quickly follow.

> HARRY  
>  Are you getting ill again, Professor?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  It’s a chronic condition, I’m afraid. But yes. My health is waning.

Neville trips over a step, and stumbles in through a door into

 

INT. EMPTY CLASSROOM, DAY

> HARRY  
>  You okay?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Y— y— 

He nods.

> HARRY  
>  We don’t have to do this if you don’t want.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  I d— d— d— I do.

He startles as Lupin closes the door behind them, crossing to the large DESK at the front of his room. He waves his wand, and the desk spins around, so the drawers are facing them. One rattles ominously.

> LUPIN  
>  Who wants to go first?
> 
> HARRY  
>  I’ll do it. But I’m not sure if  _ Riddikulus  _ will work, so you might have to show me the Patronus.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Clever, Harry… very well. Are you ready?

Harry brandishes his wand, nodding, and steps forward. Lupin flicks his towards the drawer, and from it rises a DARK FIGURE — 

But it’s not a Dementor. It’s TOM RIDDLE, sixteen, who steps up out of the drawer and forward, towards the appearing body of Ginny. Harry’s wand falls to the floor, clattering in slowed time, lining up with his loud heartbeat as he stares at Ginny. Tom sneers down at the girl.

> TOM  
>  Pity you couldn’t save her, Harry. But she’s dead. Just like your parents. And now — 

He extends his hand, and the wand flies towards it and he examines it for a moment before turning towards Neville — 

> TOM (CONT’D)  
>  Your only friend will die too.  _ Av—  _

But Lupin beats him to it, and blasts a spell at Tom. The wand falls to the floor as Tom is thrown back into some CHAIRS. Angrily, Tom climbs to his feet, but the moment he spots Lupin the boggart begins to change, Ginny’s body disappearing — 

Before it can settle on a new form, Lupin sends it back into the drawer. He looks back at Harry, concerned.

> LUPIN  
>  That wasn’t a dementor.
> 
> HARRY  
>       (shaky, hoarse)  
>  You were right.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Do… you want to tell me what that was?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  T — Tom Riddle.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Who?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> V—V—V— 
> 
> HARRY  
> Voldemort.  

He finally looks up, meeting Lupin’s eyes. Lupin looks shocked.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>       (spitefully)  
>  “A memory contained in the pages of a diary.”   
> 
> 
> In the Chamber of Secrets, last year… it was just me and him. He was going to kill her, to bring himself to life. But I— I dropped my wand— and he— and he—    
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Harry killed the basilisk with Gryffindor’s sword. And then he destroyed the diary, and saved Ginny’s life. No one else could have done that, I don’t think. No one but him.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Voldemort… had a  _ basilisk?  _ In Hogwarts? And he…
> 
> HARRY  
>  It was Slytherin’s monster. And it’s dead now. They’re both dead. I… I had to save her…
> 
> LUPIN  
>  No child should have to…

He seems to remember that he is the adult in the room, and swallows his horror.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>       (gently)  
>  Harry, have you spoken to anyone about this?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Dumbledore knows what happened. 
> 
> LUPIN  
> That’s not what I mean. That… it sounds like what you went through was traumatic. You should never have had to feel like you were responsible for saving Ginny. For killing anything.
> 
> HARRY  
> Death is easy. I don’t have to do anything; it follows me wherever I go.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Harry— 

Harry stands up, wiping his face with his sleeve. He looks around for his wand, and as he goes to retrieve it:

> HARRY  
>  The boggart. It had my wand. Would it have been able to use it? To kill Neville?
> 
> LUPIN  
> I… don’t have the answer to that. I’ve never heard of a boggart with a wand before. But…
> 
> Well, while it is changed, it is, essentially, whatever it changes into. The more you fear it the more real it becomes. A boggart in the form of a dementor is a dementor. A boggart in the form of a wizard…
> 
> HARRY  
>       (choking)  
>  How do you make something like that funny?
> 
> LUPIN  
> What?
> 
> HARRY  
>      (stronger)  
> You were right. It would be bad if Voldemort turned up in class. If I dropped my wand for him. So how am I supposed to make something like that _funny_? How do I defeat that? It’s just a— just a stupid boggart! It’s not supposed to be difficult!
> 
> LUPIN  
> Time, Harry. It takes time. It’s difficult because it’s real, and it is close. Eventually…

Harry grips his wand tighter, and clenches his jaw, and looks like he’s preparing to say something nasty, but:

> NEVILLE  
>  Can I have a go? 

Harry and Lupin remember Neville is there.

> NEVILLE (CONT’D)  
>  We could— could all use a l—laugh.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Right. Er, what do you expect, Neville?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  P—professor S—nape.

Lupin pauses, then holds back a smile.

> LUPIN  
>  Professor Snape. Very… yes. And you know the spell?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>       (clearly)  
>  _ Riddikulus _ .
> 
> LUPIN  
> Very good.  
>      (pausing)  
> Harry?
> 
> HARRY  
> Go on, then.

Neville steps forward, raising his wand, and Lupin spells open the drawer. Out climbs the scowling figure of SNAPE. Neville swallow, licking his lips.

> LUPIN (OS)  
>       (surprised)  
>  Severus.

The boggart seems to focus in on Neville, and saunters forward, and Neville opens his mouth to cast — 

> SNAPE (OS)  
>  If you value your continued existence, you will  _ not  _ cast that spell, Mr Longbottom.

The real Professor Snape, scowling and more frightening than the boggart, stands in the doorway. In one hand he holds a VIAL OF POTION.

As Neville turns away, SNAPE is the only one looking at the boggart. It focuses on him and begins to change, spending a long time shifting, but before it can settle Snape draws his wand and banishes it back to the drawer. He steps forward, offering the vial to Lupin.

> SNAPE*  
> Your potion, Lupin.
> 
> LUPIN*  
> Thank you, Severus. I’ll just — thank you.
> 
> SNAPE*  
> You should drink that directly.
> 
> LUPIN*  
> Of course. I will.
> 
> SNAPE*  
> There’s an entire cauldron, if you need more.
> 
> LUPIN*  
> I should probably have more tomorrow. Thank you.

Snape glances over at Harry and Neville, who looks about ready to faint, then turns and leaves. Lupin uncorks the vial, sniffing it. It’s not pleasant.

> LUPIN  
> Even the smell clears my head.
> 
> NEVILLE*  
>  You c— c— c— Don’t dr—drink that!
> 
> LUPIN*  
> Your concern is kind, Neville, but I assure you, I must. Pity sugar makes it useless. 
> 
> NEVILLE  
> B—B—B—B— 
> 
> HARRY*  
> But what if he’s trying to poison you?
> 
> LUPIN  
> Poison me?
> 
> HARRY*  
>      (indicating the desk)  
> There’s a reason we don’t like him. _And_ he’s been after the defense position for years!

Lupin smiles, taking a sip.

> LUPIN*  
>  Well, I’m afraid it  _ is _ a poison, of a sort. But also the only treatment. I’m very lucky to work with Severus. There’s not many wizards who could brew it — certainly not me.
> 
> HARRY  
>  A poison… to treat illness?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  You were raised by muggles, yes? Like how they treat cancer.
> 
> HARRY  
>  You have  _ cancer _ ?!
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Nothing so terminal.

Lupin frowns, and downs the rest of the potion in one gulp.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>  I think we’ll call it a day, boys.
> 
> HARRY  
>  But — Neville didn’t get to —
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I’d rather not put Neville’s ‘continued existence’ at risk.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Can you at least show me the Patronus? So I can try it on my own?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  No! Harry, this isn’t like, oh,  _ expelliarmus.  _ It is extremely powerful magic. If you want me to teach you, you’ll just have to wait. Promise me you won’t go trying it on your own.
> 
> HARRY  
>  I can’t fight a Dementor, I can’t even fight a boggart — what am I supposed to do? Hide under my bed in fear?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Harry…

Harry glances over at Neville, who shakes his head. He takes a deep breath, and finally stuffs his wand back in his pocket.

> HARRY  
>  I’m sorry, Professor. Forget I said anything.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  …the twenty-fourth.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Sorry?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  You’re staying at Hogwarts for the holidays, aren’t you?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Yes…
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Then come to my office on the afternoon of the twenty-fourth. Christmas Eve.

Harry slowly nods, beginning to smile.

> HARRY  
>  Thank you, Professor.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Until then? Enjoy your holiday.
> 
> HARRY  
>  You too. I hope your… poison helps.

Harry turns, and we follow him and Neville out, and

MATCH TO:

EXT HOGWARTS (COURTYARD) DAY

Where they are running out into the snow, laughing as they lob snowballs at each other. The impromptu fight dissolves quickly into just them flinging loose snow. Harry’s clearly got the upper hand, and after a moment we hear:

> NEVILLE  
>  Harry! Harry! I give!

And laughing, they fall to the ground. Stark against the snow in their black robes with red cheeks, breath freezing in the air above them.

Their smiles fade, after a minute, as the thrill begins to leave them, and the grimness of their day sets in. Across the courtyard we a few groups of students returning from Hogsmeade, carrying shopping bags and laughing.

Harry’s the only student without permission. While he and Neville were facing boggarts, everyone else has clearly enjoyed their morning off the grounds.

Harry nudges Neville, and jerks his head towards a returning group of Slytherins, with Draco in the lead. He’s not wearing his sling anymore.

After a moment, Harry forms another snowball, and whispers a spell —  _ wingardium leviosa —  _ to send it zooming towards the Slytherins. It hits Draco in the back of the head — and our two Gryffindors duck behind the courtyard wall, stifling laughter.

> NEVILLE  
>       (whispering)  
>  Did you see his arm?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Do you think — 
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Do you want to go — 

We hear Draco’s calls of anger, and Harry holds up his fingers, counting down 3, 2, 1 — 

And they jump up, pulling each other to their feet, and run out of the courtyard, past Fred and George, returning as well, down the long stone hall, enchanted snowballs hitting the ground behind them.

 

EXT HOGWARTS (WHOMPING WILLOW) DAY

Through tinkering ice-coated branches of the Whomping Willow, we see the boys race out of the exit to the school. Neville trips, but manages to keep his footing. In the distance, over the forest, we can see the floating shapes of the dementors.

 

EXT HOGWARTS (SLOPE) DAY

From Hagrid’s hut, we see the pair picking their way down the slope in front of the castle. By the time they reach the hut, they’re breathless and flushed again. We look down at them from the doorway as they pant. A moaning sound comes from within the hut. Exchanging glances with Neville, Harry steps forward to knock — 

> HAGRID (OS)  
>       (muffled)  
>  I’m not home!

Harry steps back, puzzled.

> HARRY  
>  Did he just say —  
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  ‘He’s not home’?
> 
> HARRY  
>       (louder)  
>  Hagrid, it’s us — er, Harry, and — 

The door opens before he finishes, and we see Hagrid, who is holding a polka-dot handkerchief. 

> HAGRID  
>      (sobbing)  
> Oh, Harry, it’s so good to see yer… Neville…
> 
> HARRY  
>  Are you alright?

Hagrid lets out another loud wail and beckons them into the hut. They follow, and come in, looking around the hut — but both jump at a chirping sound and a loud CRUNCH. Buckbeak sits near Hagrid’s bed, happily eating what looks like a ferret. Harry and Neville glance at each other.

> HARRY  
>  Um, Hagrid? You have a  _ hippogriff  _ in your hut.
> 
> HAGRID  
>  Well I couldn’t just leave him all alone outside! With all that snow!
> 
> NEVILLE  
>        (softly)  
>  At—t—t—  … n—not a dragon.

They glance at each other, taking the seats as far from Buckbeak as possible. Fang the dog pokes his head out behind Neville’s chair, and slowly comes around to rest his drooling chin on Neville’s knee.

> HARRY  
>  I thought you had a whole flock of them. That’s, uh, what Hermione said. What’s this one doing in here?

Hagrid’s wailing resumes, and he gestures to something on the table. A letter. Harry picks it up and begins to read:

> HARRY*  
>  “After careful consideration… we have determined that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident”! That’s —

He exchanges another glance with Neville, wondering if Draco really kept up his end of the bargain and told his father not to get Hagrid fired. But Hagrid sobs again, waving for Harry to go on:

> HARRY*  
>  Um… “We must register our concern about the Hippogriff in question… this matter will therefore therefore be taken to the Committee for the… Disposal of Dangerous Creatures… In the meantime, the Hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated.” Oh.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Th—th—th— th—at’s not so b—bad, is it? A h—hearing?
> 
> HAGRID*  
>  Yeh don’ know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o’ Dangerous Creatures!
> 
> HARRY  
>  But if you just tell them Malfoy provoked him…
> 
> HAGRID*  
>  They won’t listen! They’ve got it in fer interestin’ creatures! They — they’ll —

He breaks off, blowing his nose on the handkerchief once more. Harry and Neville wince at the sound.

> HARRY  
>  We’ll help you, Hagrid. There’s — there’s got to be a way to make sure he gets a fair trial…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>       (dawning realization)  
>  Uncle Algie. M—my Uncle. He’s — he was a — a —barrist—st—ter. I’ll b—b— b—… I’m g— going —   
>       (gives up)
> 
> HARRY  
>       (to Neville:)  
>  For Christmas?  
>       (Neville nods. To Hagrid:)  
>  Nev’s going home for Christmas. He’ll ask his Uncle — he’ll be able to help you, I’m sure. Buckbeak will be fine, you’ve just gotta — 

He’s cut off as Hagrid throws himself forward to sweep Harry into a hug, nearly knocking him from the chair. Behind him, the tea kettle begins to whistle, and Neville jumps to his feet to get it, barely able to heave it up onto the table. Hagrid finally lets go, and leans back, wiping his eyes again, and pours the tea into giant mugs.

> HAGRID*  
>        (still sobbing)  
>  Yer good kids, yeh are… Yer right. I can’ afford to go ter pieces. Gotta pull — pull meself together…

He passes one of the mugs to Harry. It’s about the size of Harry’s head, and Harry quickly hoists it into the window sill, where we linger.

> HARRY (OS)  
>  That’s right, Hagrid. Besides, it’s still Christmas at Hogwarts coming up. No sense being sad about that, right?

Hagrid lets out another sob, but it’s beginning to sound distant as we move in on the steam of the tea cup, and after a moment —

A train whistle blasts, and the steam turns into the steam of the:

 

EXT. HOGWARTS EXPRESS — DAY

And as it races past us we pan over the train, and past it, closer to Hogwarts, and then up, rising to look through the window of

 

EXT./INT. GRYFFINDOR TOWER — DAY 

where Harry watches as the Hogwarts Express carries Neville away for the holiday. 

> RON*  
>  You keep that bloody beast away from Scabbers!
> 
> HERMIONE*  
>  He’s a cat, Ronald Weasley! All cats chase rats!
> 
> RON  
>  Scabbers has been at Hogwarts seven years, and there’s never been a cat after him! Has there, Perce?

He turns to his brother Percy, sitting on the couch, who blinks owlishly up from his book.

> PERCY  
>  Well, actually, there was one time Professor McGonagall —

But suddenly Scabbers bites Ron’s finger and he yelps, dropping the rat. We see that Fred and George have just opened the portrait hole, and Scabbers goes darting towards it. Ron chases after him. Percy goes back to his book. Hermione watches, shaking her head, and spots Harry in the window.

> HERMIONE  
> Harry! I… didn’t realize you were staying for Christmas. We can get ahead for runes together.
> 
> HARRY  
>      (unenthused)  
> I didn’t realize you were, either.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  My parents went skiing in France, and I have homework to catch up on.

Harry shoots her an incredulous look — Homework over the holidays? — but chooses to drop it.

> HARRY  
>  And… the Weasleys?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>       (sour)  
>  How should I know?
> 
> HARRY  
>  What’s he on about now?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  He thinks Crookshanks is after his rat, just because he found him sleeping on his bed. I don’t know why he cares — its a disgusting old thing, and he’s always going on about how sick it’s gotten… It’s not even on the allowed pets list.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Well, he just said it’s seven years old. And it’s still  _ his _ , you know?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  You’re awfully kind about it when he’s so rude to you. You haven’t forgotten the nasty rumors he was spreading about you last year, have you?
> 
> HARRY  
>  I… Well…

He glances out the window again, and spots something.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  Hey! Isn’t that that dog?

Hermione comes to look.

> HERMIONE  
>  You’re right. 
> 
> HARRY  
>  That’s the fourth time I’ve seen him now.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  He must be living out on the grounds.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Yeah, but the first two times — first in Surrey, and then in Diagon Alley. He’s always lurking about.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  You saw him in London? Are you sure?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Maybe he’s someone’s pet, and they snuck him in on the train. I mean, Ron’s rat is easy enough to hide, but a dog…
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Maybe.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Well, what else? I guess he could be a werewolf. Better check if Neville’s contracted anything from the tongue-bath.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>       (smiling slightly)  
>  That’s not funny, Harry. And werewolves only change on the full moon, anyways.  
>       (looks out at the dog)  
>  It’s awful cold out there. And the dementors… they terrify me. I know Professor Dumbledore can fight them, but… On the train, they…  
>      (she shudders, leaning into Crookshanks)  
>  Well, I suppose you know.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Why do you suppose they think Sirius Black is coming here?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Don’t you… don’t you know?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Know what?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Didn’t anyone tell you?
> 
> HARRY  
>  No one ever tells me anything, Hermione, so I’d appreciate it if, you know, you would.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Oh — um — maybe I should — it’s just, there’s something I read in a book… It's in the library.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Hermione, you’re being extra — hey!

The portrait hole has opened again, and this time Crookshanks leaps out of Hermione’s arms, nearly toppling Ginny Weasley. Hermione calls after her cat, but he’s long gone.

We follow Crookshanks down the stairs, and slip out of Hogwarts to:

 

EXT. THE WHOMPING WILLOW - NIGHT

Where the Dog sleeps curled at the base of the tree. He twitches lifts his chin to look up, resting it again on a KNOT in the roots. His tail thumps the ground as Crookshanks comes forward. They greet each other by touching noses, and the Dog stands up, slowly stretching. And then he turns, and the pair trot towards the forest, and in the distance we see dementors floating until suddenly one cuts across the screen, leaving us in —

 

BLACK.   
  


A memory, familiar by now:

> WOMAN’S VOICE (OS)  
>  Not Harry! Please, not Harry —
> 
> MAN’S VOICE (OS)  
>  Stand aside, you silly girl — 
> 
> WOMAN’S VOICE (OS)  
>  Take me instead!
> 
> MAN’S VOICE (OS)  
>  Stand aside!
> 
> WOMAN’S VOICE (OS)  
>  Please, have mercy!

Shrill laughter, and —

A GREEN FLASH lights the screen, cutting off the laughter, and as it fades we see as a book falls slowly to hit a stone floor, bouncing as it tries to settle, each touch against the floor as loud as thunder. One of the pages lifts briefly, and we see a picture of a house burning against the a night sky, and if we look closely the label reads ‘GODRIC’S HOLLOW, 31 OCTOBER 1981’, but the page moves out of the way of the next one and we see briefly the image of a face: that of Sirius Black, before it flips again as the book settles.

> LUPIN (OS)  
>  Harry?

We cut back to see that the book has dropped at the feet of Harry, who stands in the

 

INT HOGWARTS LIBRARY, NIGHT

as Lupin comes around the shelves. The bookshelves tower over them, and we look down at an angle from above, near the one lit lamp.

> LUPIN  
>  There you are. Ms Granger thought you’d be in here… were we going to have that lesson?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Why didn’t you tell me?

Lupin comes a bit closer, frowning as he realizes Harry is upset.

> LUPIN  
>  Tell you what?
> 
> HARRY  
>  You said you were their friend.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Harry?
> 
> HARRY  
>  So why didn’t you tell me about  _ Sirius Black?! _

Lupin takes another step forward, but Harry finally looks up, backing away from him. He’s angry. Lupin glances down, catching sight of the book, and slowly reaches to pick the book up off the floor. He flips the page, sees Black’s face, and stares for a moment.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  Why didn’t you tell me he was their friend? Why didn’t you tell me — 

Lupin slowly flips between the pages, until he finds another photo, which he shows to Harry, holding out the book. Four boys grin up at them.

> LUPIN  
>  It was always the four of us. James. Peter. Sirius. And me. The night… the night your parents died, Sirius went after Peter and killed him. Murdered him in the street, and took thirteen muggles with him. James was gone, and Sirius — 

He looks down at the book, and closes it.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>  I lost all three of my best friends that night, Harry. Everyone close to me.
> 
> HARRY  
>  And I lost my parents.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Yes.
> 
> HARRY  
>  I lost my parents, because of  _ him! _
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I know.
> 
> HARRY  
>  You know what I hear, every time the Dementors get close to me? I hear Voldemort murdering my mother. I hear her  _ begging  _ him not to kill me, to take her instead, and then he does.

Lupin can’t meet his eyes.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  No one ever tells me anything. I wouldn’t even have known about Voldemort, except Hagrid let it slip. My relatives told me they died in a car crash.
> 
> LUPIN  
>       (whispering)  
> You hear that every time?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Why didn’t you tell me?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I didn’t — I didn’t want to hurt you, Harry. Every time I see him in the papers, I remember, and it —   
>        (abrupt change)  
>  Promise me you won’t go looking for him, Harry.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Go looking for him? Are you out of your mind?  
>       (he shakes his head)  
>  I can’t even fight off a boggart, how would I — no, I’ll leave him to the Dementors.  
>       (he pauses again)  
>  What happens, if they’re not stopped? The Dementors, what do they — 
> 
> LUPIN  
>       (softly)  
>  The Dementor’s kiss.
> 
> HARRY  
>  The what?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  It sucks out their soul.

Lupin looks regretful for a moment, but then he slips the book into the spot on the shelf and looks at Harry. The obscured light strikes harshly against his face, and he recites distantly:

> LUPIN (CONT’D)*  
>  Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest  places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air  around them. Get too near a  Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the  Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself — soul-less and  evil. You’ll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. 
> 
> HARRY  
>  That’s what they’ll do to Black?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Yes.

For a moment, Harry looks torn, but his face shifts to firm resolution.

> HARRY  
>  Good.

Lupin only looks sad.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  He was their friend.
> 
> LUPIN  
> He was. He was —   
>      (pausing)  
> He was your godfather, Harry.
> 
> HARRY  
> My — my —   
>      (spitting)  
> The Dementors can have him.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. You know better than me what it will be like for him.
> 
> HARRY  
>  I…

He falters again. Remembering his fear of the dementors. Adding what Lupin has just told him. He can see how Lupin hangs his head.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  The lesson. The patronus — how does it work? Is it like  _ Riddikulus? _

This is an easier subject for Lupin, who looks up again.

> LUPIN  
>  In a sense. You fight fear with laughter. You fight misery with…
> 
> HARRY
> 
> Happiness.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Yes.
> 
> HARRY  
>  You just said they  _ eat _ happiness.
> 
> LUPIN*  
>  The Patronus is… a projection of the very things that the Dementor feeds upon — hope, happiness, the desire to survive — but it cannot feel despair, as humans can, so the Dementors can’t hurt it.   
>       (pauses)  
>  If you feel up to it now, we can go back to my office and try it.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Why is it so difficult?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  It takes a memory. An extremely happy memory, which you must focus on with absolute clarity, and channel into the spell.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Oh.

He looks down, and we notice that his hands are shaking again.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  I don’t think I can do it today. The lesson.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  That’s okay. We’ll try again, after the holiday.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Can I — 
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Yes?
> 
> HARRY  
>  I was just — can I bring someone with me?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Neville?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Yes. And… um… Hermione. Granger. She — she told me she’s scared of them, too. 
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Oh. Harry, I — I promised that I would try to teach you, but I don’t know that you’ll be able to do it at all.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Then maybe one of them will. Hermione’s… smart; she’s the one who found this book. And Neville’s stronger than he seems.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  If they want to come, then alright. For now… think of happy memories.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Happy memories…

As Lupin leaves, Harry looks towards the book again. At the moment, happy thoughts seem impossible… He shakes his head, and turns to walk away.

 

FADE TO BLACK.


	4. Episode 4

 EXT HOGWARTS — FIRST YEAR — DAY

We see brooms in hands as students stand around talking in hushed tones.

We see a glass orb lying in the glass — a hand reaches down to pick it up:

Draco Malfoy, age eleven. He holds it up with a grin.

> DRACO*  
>  Look! Longbottom’s  _ forgotten  _ his remembrall!

The students around him laugh. Harry, standing a few feet away, looks on stonily as Draco tosses it up and down. After a moment, he steps forward.

> HARRY*  
>  Give it here, Malfoy. I’ll take it back to the dorm.
> 
> DRACO  
>  The dorm?

He looks Harry up and down, and suddenly swings his leg over his broom.

> DRACO (CONT’D) *  
>  I think I’ll leave it somewhere for him to find. How about… the Roof?

And he kicks of, shooting up into the air. Harry swings his own leg over his broom, but a hand reaches out to stop him — 

> RON  
> Hey, you’re — It's Harry, right? It’s not worth it… you’ve never even flown before!
> 
> HARRY  
> Well, I don’t see anyone else doing anything about it.

Harry shrugs off Ron's hand and kicks off — flying straight up to join Draco. Below, we hear a warning from:

> HERMIONE  
>  Madame Hooch said to stay on the ground! You’re going to get in trouble!

But Harry goes anyways. He’s shaky at first, but steadies himself quickly, and loops the broom about, putting himself between Malfoy and the castle, not able to hold back a grin at the thrill.

> DRACO  
>  You want it that bad, uh… Gryffindork?

He clearly doesn’t remember Harry’s name. He tosses the remembrall up and down again.

> DRACO (CONT’D)*  
>  Then come and get it!

Harry darts his broom forward, snatching for the remembrall, but Draco just manages to dodge. He curls up, and Harry gives chase — 

Only to be cut off by a dementor, it’s shadowy face unnervingly close —

The broom slips out from under him, and Harry’s falling, a whole horde of dementors giving chase until he lands — 

> RON (OS)  
>  Harry?

— back in:

INT. GRYFFINDOR TOWER, DORMITORY - DAY

Harry sits up, panting heavily, eyes wide. Ron is standing at the end of his bed, and Harry quickly snatches up his glasses. 

> HARRY  
>  What?
> 
> RON  
>  Are you okay?

Harry stares at Ron for an awkwardly long moment. Neither of them quite knows how to act around the other anymore. Not since Ron accused Harry of killing his sister.

> HARRY  
>  It's nothing. Just — dreaming.
> 
> RON  
>  Must have been some dream.  
>       (he pauses)  
>  Anyway, it’s, um… Christmas! There’s presents. That’ll be fun.

Harry nods slowly, and Ron hurries out of the room. Harry slips out of bed and, shivering, follows him down to:

INT. GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM - DAY

Where all the Weasleys are gathered. Ginny spots him, and sits up a bit, but Harry quickly goes over to the sofa a ways to the side, where Hermione’s sitting, reading. Crookshanks is sitting on the back of the sofa, tail flicking.

> HERMIONE  
>        (stifling a yawn)  
>  Hi, Harry.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Happy Christmas.
> 
> HERMIONE  
> You look terrible.
> 
> HARRY  
> Thanks. You — are you reading a textbook? On Christmas?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  We’ve got a big essay for Muggle Studies — but that’s not important. I mean… you read the book I found, didn’t you?

Harry sighs.

> HARRY  
>  I did. And… I found out something else.
> 
> HERMIONE  
> What?
> 
> HARRY  
> He was my godfather. My own godfather, and apparently he wants to kill me.

Hermione gasps, reaching towards his hand, but pulls it back before she touches him.

> HERMIONE  
>  I shouldn’t have… Have I ruined your Christmas?
> 
> HARRY  
> No, I — I’m glad I know. Not much to ruin, anyways, I don’t get — 

But he’s cut off by a package dropping into his lap, wrapped in paper decorated with flying snitches darting through Christmas trees and tied off with twine. He looks up, and finds Percy smiling down at him. He’s wearing a blue sweater with a ‘P’ knit in the front. 

> PERCY  
>  Mother sent that for you, Harry — I’m sure I can guess what it is.
> 
> HARRY  
> For me?
> 
> PERCY  
> Somebody told her you didn’t go home for Christmas.

Harry glances up and sees Ron and Ginny sitting across the room, also wearing sweaters emblazoned with an ‘R’ and a ‘G’, respectively, bickering happily over a box of sweets.

> PERCY  
> Hermione. They’ve made me Santa.
> 
> HERMIONE  
> Thank you. It must be from my parents.
> 
> PERCY  
> And as Santa…  
>      (he plucks the book from her hands, banishing it)  
> …I say you are forbidden from doing homework for one day.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  What? But, I—
> 
> PERCY  
> One day. Besides, Fred and George hid my NEWT revision books, so it’s only fair.

Harry glances to the package Hermione’s received — it’s clearly four books wrapped individually and tied together with ribbon — and works his finger through the twine of his own. When he gets it open, the contents are revealed: a red knit sweater, just like the Weasleys’, only there’s a gold lion knit into the front rather than a letter.

Harry holds it up for a moment, then lowers it back into the box. His hands are shaking again. His fingers brush something else, underneath it — candies wrapped in foil — 

Suddenly someone snatches the sweater out of his hands.

Fred and George. They pull it down over his head, despite his protests, and after a bit of struggling his head emerges, glasses askew. He looks around, befuddled, and Hermione stifles a laugh.

> FRED  
> No moping about, Harry.
> 
> GEORGE  
> You’re depressing your lady friend.
> 
> HERMIONE  
> I take offense to that. 
> 
> FRED  
> Offense? We’ve offended Hermione Granger?
> 
> GEORGE  
> Retreat! Retreat!

They dash off, hiding behind Percy. Harry and Hermione glance at each other, and burst into laughter. It fades out into awkward silence.

> HERMIONE  
> That’s on backwards.

Harry adjusts his sweater until he can finally get his arms through the sleeves.

> FRED (OS)  
>  Hey, Harry?

Harry looks to see the twins crouching beside the tree. Fred picks up something — a long, thin box, almost as tall as he is.

> HARRY  
> What’s that?
> 
> GEORGE  
> It’s got your name on it.

Harry puts aside the box, going over the table. He can hardly believe it. The Weasleys, curious, stand around. The only thing he’s ever gotten for Christmas is his invisibility cloak — and that was only Dumbledore returning it.

Slowly he removes the lid, revealing — 

> GINNY  
> Is that a _Firebolt_?

It is. It’s a brand new broomstick, glistening and pristine, just like the one Diagon Alley. Golden numbers shine in the handle, catching the firelight.

Harry touches it — then snatches his hand back as it rises through the air to float at waist-height.

> FRED  
> Holy smokes.
> 
> PERCY  
> Who’s it from?
> 
> GEORGE  
> There wasn’t a card.
> 
> PERCY  
> Harry?

But he shakes his head. Who would have sent _him_ a Firebolt?

Hermione appears beside him, looking down at it.

> RON  
> Who cares? It’s a Firebolt — the fastest broom in the world — 
> 
> FRED  
> Oliver’s going to have a heart attack.
> 
> GEORGE  
> Can — can I have a go on it, Harry?
> 
> HERMIONE  
> I don’t think anyone should be riding that broom. 

There's a beat, and then the younger four Weasleys moan. Harry glances at her, and she meets his eye. He nods, casting an angry look down at the floor.

> RON  
>  Have you  _ both  _ gone mental?
> 
> HARRY  
> It could be from anyone.
> 
> RON  
> So?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  So, there’s a reason there’s dementors around Hogwarts, Ronald. It could be cursed.
> 
> RON  
>        (scandalized)  
>  Who would curse a Firebolt?
> 
> HARRY  
>      (quietly)  
> Quirrel tried to curse me off my broom in first year.

CUT TO:

EXT QUIDDITCH PITCH — FIRST YEAR — DAY

Harry’s broom bucks, jolting him this way and that, and he slips off, barely hanging on — the focus shifts and we see the teacher's box, where Quirrel, in his bright purple turban, is clearly muttering — 

> RON (OS)  
>  But wasn’t Quirrel evil, or something?

BACK TO THE COMMON ROOM

Everyone is still staring at the Firebolt.

> RON (CONT’D)  
> Besides, didn’t he die?

Harry visibly flinches.

> HERMIONE  
> I wasn’t talking about Quirrel. I was talking about Sirius Black.
> 
> RON  
> Sirius Black? Why would Black send Potter a Firebolt…?

The younger Weasleys are confused, but Percy nods, looking thoughtful.

> PERCY  
> We should take it to Professor McGonagall. She’ll know what to do.

INT. GREAT HALL - DAY

We look down on the Great Hall from the rafters. A flake of snow twirls down, and we follow it, down to where a group is gathered around the Firebolt, floating mid-air. Harry and Hermione stand in front of the Weasleys, on one side, and McGonagall and Snape on the other.

Snape has his wand out, and is flicking it, making the broom roll over itself.

> McGONAGALL  
> Severus?
> 
> SNAPE  
> There’s no way to tell without stripping it down completely.

Ron and Ginny let out horrified cries, but Fred’ and George’s hand clap over their mouths. The Professors glance at them, unimpressed.

> McGONAGALL  
> You did the right thing bringing this to us, Mr Potter. There’s a chance it could be cursed.
> 
> HARRY  
>       (glumly)  
> I know.
> 
> McGONAGALL  
> We’ll have to hold on to it to do a complete check. 

Harry sighs, but nods.

The two Professors stare at him for a moment, wondering why this boy, who so passionately enjoys flying and is usually short tempered, is being so sensible.

> FRED  
> He’ll have it back before the next match, though right?
> 
> GEORGE  
> If Oliver hears — 
> 
> McGONAGALL  
> He’ll have it back when we can be absolutely certain it’s not going to harm Mr Potter or anyone else, and not a moment sooner! Am I understood?
> 
> WEASLEY CHORUS  
> Yes, ma’am.

Snape charms the Firebolt back into the box, and the group splits up. Though two out of the crowd linger: the twins.

> GEORGE  
> Rotten luck, Harry.
> 
> HARRY  
> It’s fine. It’s not like I was expecting anything, anyway.

He turns to go take a seat, but we see Fred and George glance at each other, nod, and snatch Harry up, dragging him out of the Great Hall.

> HARRY  
>  Oy!
> 
> GEORGE  
> Pipe down a second, Harry — 
> 
> HARRY  
> Let go of me!
> 
> FRED  
> Fine!

They release him, and Harry tumbles to the ground.

> FRED (CONT’D)  
> Now if you’re done moping about, we have something for you.

Harry looks up suspiciously, climbing to his feet.

> HARRY  
> If you think I’m going to trust anything from the two of you — 
> 
> GEORGE  
> You’re ruining your own Christmas, Harry. It’s honestly depressing. So we thought we’d cheer you up. What we have for you — 
> 
> FRED  
> Is this.

With great aplomb, he offers something to Harry, who takes it, confused. It looks like — 

> HARRY  
> Beat up old parchment?
> 
> GEORGE  
> ‘Old parchment’, he says.
> 
> FRED  
> Tragic, George.

They grab Harry and pull him further away from the door, into a nook.

> FRED (CONT’D)*  
> This, Harry, is the secret to our success. And all it needs is the password:

George pulls out his wand, tapping it on the map:

> GEORGE  
> I solemnly swear I am up to no good.

Green ink blooms from where the tip of his wand, revealing a message:  *

  
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers    
are proud to present

THE MARAUDER’S MAP 

 

Harry opens it up, revealing that it is, indeed, a map, and beyond that, an animated one. We see a dot moving down a stairway, labeled ‘MRS NORRIS’. The Great Hall, where names are gathered in a square. And just beyond — 

> HARRY  
>  Is that — ?

George grins and takes a few steps back. The dot labeled ‘GEORGE WEASLEY’ moves with it.

> HARRY  
>       (breathing)  
> Brilliant.  
>      (then, suspicious:)  
> Why are you showing this to me?
> 
> FRED  
>  Showing? We're giving. 
> 
> GEORGE  
> You just willingly gave a Firebolt to McGonagall, Harry. We think you’ve broken.
> 
> FRED  
>  You need to live a little. Get out there. See the world beyond Hogwarts. And this — 

He taps a spot on the map, and a new line branches away.

> FRED (CONT’D)  
>  Is your ticket out of here. 
> 
> HARRY  
> What’s that?
> 
> FRED  
> There’s seven passageways out of the castle. Filch knows four of them, and the one behind the mirror on the second floor is caved in…
> 
> GEORGE  
> And you’d have to be mad to go for the one under the Whomping Willow, but that one leads straight to the basement of Honeydukes. Right in the middle of Hogsmeade. Go when everyone it’s already filled with students… 
> 
> FRED  
> …and no one will notice an extra Gryffindor or two, will they?
> 
> HARRY  
> But you — don’t you still need this? 
> 
> FRED  
> Nah, we memorized it ages ago.
> 
> GEORGE  
> And besides…  
>      (lowers voice)  
> Even with that map, we couldn’t find Ginny. You and Neville, you’re the ones who saved her. If anyone deserves a bit of fun, it’s you.

But the intrigue slips off of Harry’s face as George talks, and he thrusts the Map back towards them.

> HARRY  
> Forget it. I’m not — I didn’t go down there to —

The twins, however, quickly back away.

> FRED  
> Ron might still walk around with his head lodged up his arse, but we’re not that ignorant.
> 
> GEORGE  
> We’re not taking it back. Look, Harry, you need to live a little. I dunno who told you the world’s your responsibility, but _we_ think everyone’s first responsibility is to having a bit of fun.
> 
> FRED  
> And you clearly need to.
> 
> GEORGE  
> Though I suppose if you really want to, you could always give it back to Filch.
> 
> FRED  
> You’ll just be murdering us in the process, and we will come back to haunt you.
> 
> GEORGE  
> Right. So you just enjoy that, Harry.
> 
> FRED  
> Cheerio.

Harry stares after them, clenching his jaw, but then looks down at the map again. And that’s the end of it.

The more he looks, the more he seems to be entranced by the ink, watching the twins join the others at the table, tracing Mrs Norris and the ghosts through the halls… But then he spots something strange, and frowns, leaning in — 

> BABBLING (OS)  
>  Mr Potter?

 

CUT TO:

INT. HOGWARTS — RUNES CLASSROOM — DAY

We’ve jumped forward, into term, and Harry is now in Runes class in his regular robes, sitting next to Neville, though he’s paying more attention to the Map than anything else. He quickly shifts his things to cover it, because Professor Babbling is approaching —

> BABBLING  
> Well, Mr Potter?

Harry quickly glances up at the board, frantic to figure out what the question was. He catches sight of Draco smirking, and Hermione rolls his eyes, and Babbling waiting. Harry swallows.

As usual, it is Neville to the rescue. He’s been writing notes throughout class, so it is not noticeable that he is still writing, but he is writing one rune over and over again — 

> HARRY  
> ...ehwaz?
> 
> BABBLING  
>        (good humor)  
>  Yes, five points to Mr Longbottom for that. Do  _ try  _ to pay attention, Mr Potter. As I’ve told you before, mistakes can be…
> 
> CLASS (TOGETHER)  
>  Explosive!
> 
> BABBLING  
>  Indeed.

She returns to lecturing, and Harry tries to pay attention, but we see his eyes drifting towards the Map. Neville shoots him a glance.

The bell rings, and we meet Harry and Neville again in:

INT. ENTERING INTO GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM, DAY

> NEVILLE  
>  What’s gotten into you, Harry?
> 
> HARRY  
> Huh? Oh, uh, nothing?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  You’re lucky you didn’t get detention.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Ha… yeah… Hey, have you heard anything on Buckbeak?

It’s not a smooth transition, and Neville sighs, but shakes his head as they take a table and pull out their books.

> NEVILLE  
> Uncle Algie sent Hagrid a lot of advice, but he didn’t want a barrister. If he had… well, it would have saved everyone a wasteful hearing, but… It’s really up to Hagrid, at this point. He just has to give a convincing testimony at the hearing… and, well…

Harry doesn’t say that Buckbeak is doomed, but they’re both thinking it. After a moment, they each turn to their books — and Harry, reaching into his bag, finds the map again, still active from earlier. After a moment, he brings it out.

> NEVILLE (CONT’D)  
> It’s the Potions exam first thing tomorrow, isn’t it? How can Snape get away with setting an exam just two weeks into the term?
> 
> HARRY  
>      (distracted)  
> Yeah, well, it’s Snape, isn’t it?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> At least it’s — _again?_ Harry… Can’t you put that away for five minutes?
> 
> HARRY  
> You don’t think it’s fascinating?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Sure, but, isn’t it kind of, you know, intrusive?
> 
> HARRY  
> Intrusive?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> You’re basically spying on people.
> 
> HARRY  
> It’s not spying! It’s just… gathering information.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Yeah? That’s what you said about the Diary, too.

Harry looks up sharply, at that. Neville stares right back.

> HARRY  
>      (quietly)  
> That was completely different.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Right. And so was the mirror.
> 
> HARRY  
> What are you trying to say?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Nothing! I just mean, you’re getting all obsessed with this thing, and it’s not like you even have a reason to be looking at it. You’ve not exactly got the best track record with cursed objects, Harry.
> 
> HARRY  
> This — the mirror wasn’t — 

But he’s cut off as Ron Weasley, carrying what looks like the fitted sheet off his bed, storms up to where Hermione has just come in through the portrait hole and bellows:

> RON  
>  _LOOK!_

We see there are a few drops of blood on the sheets. Hermione stares at it for a few moments.

HERMIONE  
     (sarcastic)  
Congratulations?

A few of the girls around them snicker, but Ron doesn’t seem to notice.

> RON  
> He’s killed Scabbers! Your Cat has murdered my Rat!
> 
> HERMIONE  
> And I suppose you saw him do it.
> 
> RON  
> Saw? I don’t need to — _look!_

He holds something else up, visible against the sheets: long, ginger cat hairs.

> HERMIONE  
> Weren’t you just complaining about Crookshanks sleeping on your bed? Those could have come from any time.   
>      (she’s growing increasingly agitated)  
> Really, Ronald; just because your rat is at the end of it’s life doesn’t mean you get to blame my cat for it without evidence, just because you can’t take care of your things. He’s probably crawled off somewhere to be alone. Better than having to try and breathe the same air as you!

By the end, she’s shouting, and she pushes past Ron and climbs the stairs to the girls’ dormitory, tears in her eyes. Ron tries to charge up after her, but as he starts on the steps they turn into a slide beneath his feet, sending him toppling back to the ground. Everyone turns back to their work before he can look up and see them.

> NEVILLE  
> Was Hermione always that…?
> 
> HARRY  
> I think she’s overworked… She was doing homework on Christmas, or, well, trying. Percy banned her.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> What homework? We have the same classes, and it was only, what, an hour each?

Neville looks at his own homework, now, picking up the potions textbook, and Harry follows suit — but that means he’s looking at the map again. Still, he manages to answer.

> HARRY  
> I think she’s taking extra electives. She’s doing Care with Hagrid, right? And I think… she mentioned Muggles Studies… 
> 
> NEVILLE  
> That’s at the same time as Care — and isn’t she muggleborn?

Harry shrugs, leaning closer to examine something on the map, and Neville, noticing, drops the textbook on the table.

> NEVILLE (CONT’D)  
> For Merlin’s sake, Harry — you could at least pretend to — 
> 
> HARRY  
> If I can find Scabbers on it, wouldn’t that be worthwhile? No more angry Ron, no more terrifying Hermione…
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Well, can you find him after potions? I swear Snape was giving me looks on Thursday, Harry. Looks. Not that you’d have noticed, since you haven’t looked up from that map for two weeks — 
> 
> HARRY  
> Alright, I get it, I get it. Potions, jeez…

And this time, when he puts the map aside, he moves it into his bag, and it remains there. At least until…

 

INT. GRYFFINDOR DORMITORY, NIGHT

As Harry’s getting ready for bed, we hear someone singing from the showers. The other three beds already have the curtains closed. Harry picks up his bag from where he’d tossed it on his bed, but pauses before he sets it aside, pulling out the map. It’s still active from earlier.

He takes it out as he goes around to slip into bed, sitting up against the headboard and examining it in the moonlight. He sees that the twins are out of bed, and shakes his head at whatever they are up to with a smile. And then he spots Crookshanks meeting with Mrs Norris, and gags. But something else catches his eye — a name.  _ Peter Pettigrew.  _ He frowns. Hasn’t he heard that name before?

> LUPIN (VO)  
>  It was always the four of us. James. Peter. Sirius. And me ...

Frowning, Harry reaches over into his nightstand, and pulls out something — a photo album, which Hagrid gave him back in his first year. He flips it open, and past the photo of his parents together at the front, until he finds what he is looking for: the same photo that was in the book. He takes it out, peering at it, and after a moment flips it over, but the labels only indicate first names. He stares at the front again, and then glances down at the map — but the name ‘Peter Pettigrew’ is gone.

 

INT. HOGWARTS DEFENSE CLASSROOM - DAY

The bell rings and we’ve moved forward, to the end of Defense class, where the students chatter eagerly about the upcoming quidditch game and Hogsmeade weekend. Harry tells Neville to go on ahead, because he has a question for Lupin. He approaches the front of the classroom, eyeing the tank on the front desk, where a pale water demon called a grindylow glares sullenly back at him. Lupin addresses him without pausing his task of packing up.

> LUPIN  
> I was wondering when you’d come.
> 
> HARRY  
> Sir?
> 
> LUPIN  
> About the Patronus lessons? I presume you’re feeling up to them.
> 
> HARRY  
> Oh! Yes — when can we — ?
> 
> LUPIN  
> Next Sunday, ten o’clock, I think, if Miss Granger and Mr Longbottom don’t mind missing Hogsmeade again.
> 
> HARRY  
> That should be — I’ll ask.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Please do. Was there something else you were coming to ask about?
> 
> HARRY  
> It’s about… our conversation.

Lupin’s hands still, but then he buckles his bag shut stiffly, not looking up.

> LUPIN  
> Yes?
> 
> HARRY  
> You said Black killed another friend of yours — um…
> 
> LUPIN  
> Peter. Peter Pettigrew. Why do you ask?
> 
> HARRY  
> Nothing. It’s just… trying to get a picture. He was close to Dad? What was he like?

Lupin’s face softens, and he smiles, picking up his bag, and comes around the tank, beckoning for Harry to follow him. They head downstairs, towards the Great Hall.

> LUPIN  
> Peter was… well, perhaps I should say, your father and Sirius — Black, they were the two cleverest boys in the school. And they were constantly finding ways to put that cleverness to ill use. There was nothing James loved more than making someone laugh, and, to his eyes, no better way to do it than with a masterful prank. Peter… he fairly well idolized James. He wasn’t particularly magically gifted or clever, but he was a good friend. Always came to Quidditch games to cheer on your dad, though he was afraid of heights.
> 
> HARRY  
> He played chaser, right? My dad, I mean?
> 
> LUPIN  
> That’s right. He’d be awful proud of you playing for Gryffindor. I bet he’d love to come to the match this weekend.

He pauses as they arrive outside of the Great Hall.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
> Any luck with the broom?
> 
> HARRY  
> No. I think Oliver’s going to go running to the Dementors if Professor McGonagall tells him ‘not yet’ again.
> 
> LUPIN  
>      (pained smile)  
> Perhaps we should invite Oliver to the Patronus lessons as well? In any case — next Sunday. And remind Neville and Hermione to think about happy memories before the lesson.
> 
> HARRY  
> Right. Thanks, Professor.
> 
> LUPIN  
> And, Harry — 

He’s cut off by a loud shout:

> OLIVER (OS)  
> POTTER!

Oliver is racing down the stairs, practically jumping for joy, waving — the Firebolt!

> OLIVER  
> They’re done! They’ve cleared it!
> 
> HARRY  
> It’s — I can use it?

Oliver shoves it into his hands with a grin as he’s finally close enough.

> OLIVER  
> I’m calling an emergency practice right now — why are you still standing here, Potter?!

He turns and runs back up the stairs, shouting to the unsuspecting Angelina and Alicia as he goes. Harry looks down at the Firebolt in amazement, and then remembers Lupin.

> HARRY  
> Um, Professor — 
> 
> LUPIN  
> Go on, then. Have fun.  
>      (leaning in, whispering)  
> Don’t tell Professor Snape, but I’ll be rooting for Gryffindor.

Harry grins, then turns to hurry out of the castle, breaking into a run before he’s gone.

 

EXT. HOGWARTS - SLOPE - DAY

He’s hardly out on the slope before he climbs onto the broom and kicks off.

It goes much,  _ much  _ faster than he’s expecting, and he has to grab tight not to fall off as he loses his balance and rolls, but once he’s upright and figures it out his grin returns, and he picks up more and more speed until the world blurs and we get left behind him, and as we steady out again we realize we’ve shot forward to

 

EXT. HOGWARTS - QUIDDITCH PITCH - DAY

Where the match with Slytherin is in full swing. Harry loops in circles above the pitch, rolling easily out of the way of a bludger sent his way, and then banks sharply to the left to avoid the second bludger, earning some excited commentary from Lee Jordan:

> LEE*  
> Look at that Firebolt go! Potter’s really putting it through its paces now, see it turn — the Firebolt’s precision is astounding — balance is really noticeable in long —
> 
> McGONAGALL*  
> JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!

But Harry’s not paying attention to Lee. He flies in front of the scoreboard just as the score changes, and sits back, watching the game a bit more, until Angelina scores again, changing the score to seventy twenty — 

And theb we slow down for a moment, catching the glint of gold reflecting across Harry’s glasses, and he smiles, leaning forward.

He weaves through the other players, the sounds of the audience and Lee’s commentary clipping as he zooms by. He gets closer to the snitch, stretching his arm out with absolute focus — but we realize after a moment he’s getting farther away, not closer, and Harry leans even more into his broom, intent on catching up —

But then he glances over his shoulder, and realizes that Draco has grabbed the tail of his broom. As the crowd boos the foul, Harry kicks his grip off, and turns forward again, just in time to catch sight of the snitch again, and he follows it straight up into the air, squinting against the sun as he reaches to grab it —

And his fingers close on it, and Harry grins, swooping back down into the pitch, holding the snitch in the air.

As the crowd cheers we begin to move forward again, catching snatches of Lupin as he teaches the Patronus lesson:

> LUPIN (VO)  
> Happiness. Unadulterated happiness. Focus on the memory. Feel it — breathe it — make it as though you were there.

The rest of the team comes crashing into Harry, sweeping him up into a seven person hug, nearly knocking off his glasses.

> LUPIN (VO) (CONT’D)  
>  You want to recall the emotion as purely as you can… and once you have it, the incantation to cast:  _ expecto patronum. _

Harry’s grinning so hard his face might split, and for a moment he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening his mouth again, but what he says is:

> HARRY  
>  _Expecto Patronum._

He opens his eyes again, and we join him in:

 

INT. HOGWARTS — DEFENSE CLASSROOM — DAY

The tip of his want glows white, and for a moment he thinks he’s done it — but all that he produces is a fine white mist, not unlike a ghost, that quickly fades away.

Frowning, Harry looks to his left and spots Neville looking resigned and Hermione frustrated.

> LUPIN  
>  Very good, all of you!
> 
> HERMIONE  
> It didn’t _do_ anything, Professor.
> 
> LUPIN  
> Not so at all. All three of you — yes, including you, Neville — produced more of a patronus than most people ever will.
> 
> HARRY  
> A bit of mist isn’t going to hold back a Dementor.
> 
> LUPIN  
> No, but that was your first try, Harry. If you could produce it on your first try, there’d be no need for lessons, would there?
> 
> HARRY  
> But — 
> 
> LUPIN  
> Let’s give it another go. Try a different memory. Do you all have one?

After a moment of thought, Neville and Hermione nod. Harry scrunches up his face, thinking hard, and remembers —

> HAGRID (VO)*  
> You’re a wizard, Harry.
> 
> HARRY (VO)  
> Sorry?
> 
> HAGRID (VO)  
> A wizard. And a mighty good one at that, if your parents are anything to go by…

He swallows, and nods, raising his wand with renewed vigor.

> LUPIN  
> Alright. On three, try it together. One, two, three:
> 
> ALL (TOGETHER)  
>  _Expecto Patronum!_

Once again, Harry’s breath catches as white mist begins to flow out of his wand — but it dissolves. Hermione, however, lets out a squeak of excitement, and he glances over to her.

> HERMIONE  
>  I saw — I had a bit more, it almost looked like a, a...
> 
> LUPIN  
> Fantastic. All three of you, really. This isn’t easy at all. By all rights, three third years shouldn’t… 
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Well, Hermione’s the brightest witch of our year. And Harry’s the most powerful, hands down.
> 
> HARRY  
> And if anyone could make a spell like this work, it’d be Nev.

Hermione, flushed with excitement, nods, and stumbles a bit as she does so. Lupin quickly catches her shoulder, steadying her up.

> LUPIN  
> I think that’s enough for today.  
>      (laughing as they all protest)  
> Honestly, you’ve all done more than I was expecting. I’m going to need to find a way for you to get more practical experience much sooner than I expected.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  You mean a way to practice against an actual dementor? That — that doesn’t…
> 
> LUPIN  
> It would hardly be a pleasant experience for all involved.   
>      (sighs)  
> We may simply forgo that in favor of simply getting more practice… Once they catch Black, you’re not likely to run into a Dementor again for some time, so… Ah, but you let me worry about that. We’ll meet again in… a month, say, and until then I’d like you all to practice calling on happy memories.

The three students thank him, though their enthusiasm is somewhat dimmed, and trudge out into the hall. They pause, glancing at each other.

> HARRY  
> I guess you guys would still have time for Hogsmeade, if you’d like?
> 
> HERMIONE  
> Are you kidding me? I just spent an hour that could have been doing homework learning a non-curricular spell, and — well, not that I’m not glad to be learning it, but there’s no way I’m going anywhere except for the library! I’ll see you two at dinner!

She turns and hurries away.

> NEVILLE  
> But we didn’t get assigned that much homework, since the Professors knew about Hogsmeade — well, aside from S— aside from Potions, I mean, but that’s only because it’s him…

The boys look at each other, shrug, and follow after her at a much more reasonable pace, heading back to the tower.

> HARRY  
> Maybe she’s still writing essays three times as long? Or maybe the Muggle Studies professor gave them a big project?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> I guess… h—hey, um…
> 
> HARRY  
> What is it?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> What… what memory did you use? For the spell?
> 
> HARRY  
> Well, I tried flying, first. Winning the match last week — it was fresh, right, so I thought it would work, but, nah. And then I tried when Hagrid showed up and told me about magic, but apparently that wasn’t good enough, either — Flibbertigibbet. 

That last bit is the password to the Fat Lady’s portrait, and they duck inside.

 

INT. GRYFFINDOR TOWER — COMMON ROOM — DAY

There are only a few students inside, all younger years. Harry and Neville continue to speak as they cross to climb the stairs that lead up to the boys dormitories.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
> What about you?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Oh, um. The same. Well, not the same — I mean… Everyone thought I was a squib, you know? So when I found out I had magic, it was such a relief, but…
> 
> HARRY  
> But?

They hesitate in their doorway, a landing on the stairs.

NEVILLE  
I’ve told you before, right? Uncle Algie tried everything — he nearly drowned me, once. We only found out because he dropped me out a window.  
I bounced, but… I mean, overall it’s a happy memory, but it’s not…

Harry stares at him, clenching his fist, and turns to enter their shared dormitory.

 

INT. GRYFFINDOR TOWER — BOYS’ DORMITORY — DAY

Harry heads over to his bed, where the Marauders’ Map is tucked under the pillow.

> HARRY  
> Maybe Fred and George were right. Maybe we _do_ need to have some fun.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> I don’t think anything that they think is fun would be fun for me. Especially if it involves the Map.
> 
> HARRY  
> No, look — _I solemnly swear I am up to no good_ — there.

He jabs down at the secret passage Fred and George had showed him. Neville looks, but doesn’t get it.

> HARRY  
>  _That_ is a secret passage that leads straight to the basement of Honeydukes.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> You want to sneak out?!
> 
> HARRY  
> Shh! Yeah, I wanna go to Hogsmeade. Don’t you? I know you’ve just been sticking around for my sake, and I mean, I appreciate it and all, but with this we can both go.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> But… What if we get caught?
> 
> HARRY  
> We’ll take the invisibility cloak. No one will need to know I’m there, and you have permission, anyways. And besides… it’s us. How many people really care what you and I get up to?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> But… 
> 
> HARRY  
> It’ll be fun. The sort of fun that’s not ruined by your Uncle Algie or my Uncle Vernon. We’ll just go, look around a little bit, and come back. Easy.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Well…

He looks down at the map again.

As we watch we see two pairs of footprints approach the statue of the humpback witch — and they’re labeled ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Neville Longbottom’. Neville is trailing behind. Harry lowers the map, revealing the actual statue.

> NEVILLE (CONT’D)  
> Harry…
> 
> HARRY  
> Uh-huh?

Harry isn’t really listening, though. Instead he looks down at the map again, and see his footprints turn into a little robe-wearing figure, who walks around and taps the witch’s hump, with a speech bubble reading ‘ _ dissendium’. _ He looks up again, drawing his wand.

> NEVILLE  
> Harry, I don’t — don’t — don’t — 
> 
> HARRY  
> Just a sec, Nev… _dissendium._

The witch’s hump opens up, revealing that beneath it is a steep shoot of stairs. Harry grins, but then he looks up and realizes that Neville’s still on the other side of the statue. He pokes his head around, and sees Neville chewing on his lip.

> NEVILLE  
> W—w—w—e sh—ouldn’t- t— t— 

Harry’s face and shoulders fall.

> HARRY  
> Look, if you don’t want to… you can wait here. Or go back to the common room, or… I… I just really want to… I just really want to be normal for five minutes, okay? I’ll just go and see it and come back.

Neville nods slowly.

> NEVILLE  
> You’ll be r—ight back?

Harry nods, and goes back around the witch statue, glancing at the map again as he leans towards the hole, pulling out the invisibility cloak from his bag — but something stops him before he can go in. A sight on the map: the dot labeled Severus Snape, coming up the hall towards where the dot labeled Neville Longbottom shifts. Harry swallows, glancing up and at his friend, down into the hole, and then back up again. He can’t leave Neville. He quickly drops the map and cloak into the hole, closes the hump with  _ finite incantatem,  _ then comes around the statue.

> NEVILLE  
> Harry— what…?

But Harry drops to his knee, pretending to tie his shoe just as Snape comes around the corner. Neville goes white. Snape, seeing Harry, is automatically suspicious.

> SNAPE  
> Mr Potter. Mr Longbottom. What a… curious place to find the two of you at.
> 
> HARRY  
>       (standing)  
>  Find us? Were you— did you need something, Professor?
> 
> SNAPE  
> What could two students such as yourselves doing in this part of the castle?
> 
> HARRY  
> Walking.
> 
> SNAPE  
> Walking?
> 
> HARRY  
> Walking.

Snape looks at Neville, as though expecting to get the truth from him, but Neville only looks like he is trying to sink into the floor and disappear.

> SNAPE  
> And why, exactly, are you inside ‘walking’ on a day like today?
> 
> HARRY  
> Nothing better to do.
> 
> SNAPE  
> No? Do you think yourself above Hogsmeade, Mr Potter?
> 
> HARRY  
> Positionally, yes, Hogwarts is at higher ground. Sir. Unfortunately, to go to Hogsmeade, you have to have a signed permission slip.
> 
> SNAPE  
> And you were too busy inflating muggles to collect a signature.
> 
> HARRY  
>  If you’d like.

Snape continues to stare at them, Harry meeting his gaze without fear as Neville shakes and shivers.

> SNAPE  
> Ten points from Gryffindor for loitering in the halls.

He spins around and storms off. Harry nudges Neville, and they head off in the opposite direction, back up the stairs.

> HARRY  
>      (loudly)  
> Let’s go to the owlery. Even Snape can’t take points for visiting Hedwig.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>      (whispering)  
> Wh— what about your— 
> 
> HARRY  
> Shh! It’ll be fine. Only Fred and George know about that, anyways, and they’re off at the village today. We don’t have to worry about them, uh, pranking us.

They continue up the stairs, through a side door, which opens up to:

EXT. HOGWARTS — OWLERY TOWER — DAY

The moment the door closes behind them, Harry lets out a groan, even as he climbs the stairs up to the owlery.

> HARRY  
> God, what a git. Hey, you mind letting me deal with him next time you run into a boggart? I’d like to hex the sneer right off his face, the way he looks at you.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> I— I don’t think—

Harry is only half paying attention to him, though, as they enter the owlery. Hedwig hops down to a nearby perch, and he scratches her neck.

> NEVILLE  
> Why didn’t you go?
> 
> HARRY  
> I wasn’t going to leave you to deal with Snape on your own, Nev.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> But I— if I hadn’t been so afraid, you would have seen Hogsmeade.

Harry glances down from the tower, across to where they can see Hogsmeade in the distance, though above the trees of the forest they can also see the dark shapes of dementors.For a moment we see the shadows reflected in Harry’s glasses, and hear the beginning of the memory— but Harry turns away.

> HARRY  
> It’s just a village.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> But you wanted to— 
> 
> HARRY  
> I wasn’t thinking. You’re right. It was stupid to do something that risky. If Snape had caught us...

He trails off, and notices that Neville looks extremely pale at even the thought.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
> Why are you so afraid of him? He’s just a bully. You’re not afraid of Malfoy.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> S— S— Snape’s a thousand times worse than Malfoy. 
> 
> HARRY  
> Yeah, but— I mean, why is he your boggart? He didn’t— I know what he’s like in class, and it’s absolutely disgusting, but he hasn’t done anything to you _outside_ of class, has he?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> I bet he’d like to. Everyone knows he practices Dark Arts.
> 
> HARRY  
> But… he’s a teacher.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>      (whispering)  
> Gran says he was a D— Death Eater.
> 
> HARRY  
> A what?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> One of V— V— Vol— 
> 
> HARRY  
> You don’t have to say it.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> I want to. I don’t want to be— to be so scared all the time.  
>      (he takes a deep breath)  
> V— oldemort. Gran says he worked for Voldemort.
> 
> HARRY  
> I mean, we thought that first year, didn’t we? But it turned out to be Quirrel.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Gran says he was put on trial, but Professor Dumbledore got him off somehow. 
> 
> HARRY  
> Well… if Dumbledore said…
> 
> NEVILLE  
> And he was wrong about Quirrel, wasn’t he?

Harry is quiet for a moment, and Hedwig butts his hand, encouraging him to continue on scratching her neck.

> HARRY  
> He worked for Voldemort? But… even if he was let off, why would they let him come work here? He doesn’t even like teaching.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> I dunno. But I— my— I don’t want to be the one to find out he’s still a Death Eater. He hates me.
> 
> HARRY  
> Well, he can’t do anything _too_ bad while he works here. He’d be fired.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  It’s more the possibility. You’ve seen him when he gets angry. What if one day he completely flips, and— 

They both shudder at that. Harry glances back over to the forest.

> HARRY  
> Well, if he does do anything dark in the school, the dementors will take care of him. That’s the one good thing about having them here, I guess.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> What about you?
> 
> HARRY  
> What?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Why are you so afraid of them? I mean, I am too, but— You thought they’d be your boggart. And I’ve never seen you freeze the way you did on the train.

Harry’s hands still again, and Hedwig huffs and flutters away.

> NEVILLE (cont’d)  
> I mean, you don’t have to… I didn’t mean to…
> 
> HARRY  
> It’s fine, it’s just… I’d never felt anything like it.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> What?
> 
> HARRY  
> Fear.

A pause.

> NEVILLE  
> You’ve never been afraid?
> 
> HARRY  
> What? Of course I’ve been afraid! What do you think I am, Godric Gryffindor reincarnated?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Well…

He almost looks like he’s ready to believe it. Harry groans loudly, wiping his hands on his robes and turning to leave the owlery.

> HARRY  
> Don’t answer that, Nev.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> You did pull his sword out of a hat, Harry.
> 
> HARRY  
> Oh, shut it, you.

They arrive at the door at the bottom of the stairs, and re-enter:

 

INT - HOGWARTS - DAY

> NEVILLE  
>  And you used it to kill a basilisk. And you dealt with V— Voldemort when you were only eleven.

Harry flinches. He doesn’t like remembering what happened to Quirrel.

> HARRY  
> I thought we were having a serious conversation.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> We were! I— sorry.
> 
> HARRY  
> ...it’s fine.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> So?
> 
> HARRY  
> The Dementors— It’s not just fear. They don’t make you afraid. I mean, they do, it’s just— They take away everything else. Happiness. Joy. So it’s… there’s nothing to block the fear.  
>      (sighs)  
> I’m not making any sense, am I?  
> 
> NEVILLE  
> It makes sense, I just… Are you always happy? I mean, I’ve seen you angry… you’re not happy then, but you’re not, uh, afraid of being angry, are you?
> 
> HARRY  
> No, but… it’s like… like you’ll never be happy again… Hope. It takes away hope, Nev. And without hope… what’s the point of even fighting? _That’s_ what scares me. That I’ll just… give up.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> You fight because you have to. Because even if there’s no point, you still have to fight for what you believe in.

They have reached the Portrait of the Fat Lady.

> HARRY  
> ...who’s Godric Gryffindor now?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> You’re the one who told me that.
> 
> HARRY  
> Did not.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Yes you did. First year. When V— Voldemort was going after the stone.

For a moment, Harry frowns, trying to remember. But then he remembers Quirrel’s face burning under his hands, and flinches again. He tries to shake the memory.

> HARRY  
> Do you think Snape’s left the hallway yet?
> 
> NEVILLE  
> What?
> 
> HARRY  
> The map. I want to get it back. And the cloak.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> I— um— I don’t really want to… to test him… I know it’s… I…
> 
> HARRY  
> …alright.
> 
> NEVILLE  
> Alright?
> 
> HARRY  
>      Alright.   
> (to the Fat Lady)  
> Flibbertigibbet.  
>      (to Neville)  
> Think we can get Hermione to check our Runes homework? 

As they enter the common room, Crookshanks slips out through the portrait hole. The portrait closes behind the cat, wiping the screen to

BLACK.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! I got so caught up in writing Ep 5, I almost forgot to post Ep 4! Whoops.
> 
> Speaking of Ep 5, unless i am hit by a surge of speed-writing ability in the next week, we'll be (intentionally) missing the next posting date (march 7) in favor of making sure i have time to fully draft and edit it. And in hopes that, unlike Ep 4, it is not made into a 'holiday special' by tacking on 15 pages of extra dialogue. (Though the opening of Ep 5 more than makes up for the dialogue overload in this ep.)
> 
> Thanks as always for your comments! This fic is a great experiment, so all encouragement is lovely.


	5. Chapter 5

 FADE IN:

 

INT HOGWARTS - GRYFFINDOR TOWER - NIGHT

Harry is asleep, but dreaming. We hear whispers, and a rustling, like a snake slithering through grass. His hand tightens on his wand, protruding from under his pillow, as the sounds get louder.

A shadow crosses his face —

He startles awake, jabbing his wand through the air, eyes wide, his bed-head hair sticking up in every direction — but he doesn’t see anything. He paws the side table for his glasses, shoving them on his face, and scans the room quickly, looking for the source of his disturbance, until he finds —

Crookshanks, crouching in the window, his tail flicking back and forth. The cat turns to look at him, and Harry groans, reaching up to push his free hand through his hair. The lightning-bolt scar is red and inflamed. He tosses his glasses aside again, and falls to his pillow facing away, wand still clutched tightly in his hand.

Crookshanks’ golden eyes study him for a moment longer, then stands, stretching languidly, and leaves the window ledge, walking to the closest piece of furniture: Ron’s bedside table. It is cluttered, but Crookshanks neatly steps only on the few gaps of clear wood, and leans forward to sniff Ron’s hand, which is hanging off the side of the bed. Ron stirs.

> RON  
>       (mumbling)  
>  Scabbers… bugger off…

Crookshanks pulls back, eyeing the boy, who is sprawled out with his blankets twisted oddly around him. But, satisfied with what he found, the cat begins to paw at the clutter on the bedside table, knocking homework and quills and a sock with a patched toe to the ground. He quickly uncovers what he is looking for: Ron’s wand. Picking up the wood to carry it in his mouth, he leaps gracefully from the table, leaving the dorm still and silent.

In the distance, we hear the castle bells toll two o’clock. Ron shifts, eyes opening for a moment, then rolls over, pulling his blankets over his head.

Meanwhile, we return to the window, and drop out, beyond, to

 

EXT — HOGWARTS GROUNDS — WHOMPING WILLOW — NIGHT

where Crookshanks sniffs the base of the tree. Whatever he is looking for, however, it is not here. Wand still in mouth, he he hurries away, not seeming to notice the Dementors that float overhead as he makes his way down towards

 

EXT - HOGSMEADE — NIGHT

The cat darts between buildings, pausing momentarily outside THE THREE BROOMSTICKS, where through the windows we spot the bartender cleaning tables ignoring a figure sleeping in the corner. But the cat moves on, past SCRIVENSHAFT'S and ZONKO’S, two shops with dark windows. As he turns down the alley before HONEYDUKES, we begin to hear rustling. Crookshanks pauses, ears flicking and nose twitching, before taking a few steps forward into the shadows, and we begin to see shapes form in the darkness.

Crookshanks drops the wand, letting it clatter against the stone, just at the edge of the moonlight. The shadows shift, and we spot a face turning sharply around—a face which even in the minimal moonlight is clearly that of Sirius Black, wide-eyed and ready to dart. But when he spots Crookshanks, his face relaxes into an unsettling grin. We see him come forward, and watch his hand as he reaches down to scratch behind the cat’s ears before picking up the wand. Crookshanks winds between his legs.

 

BACK TO:  
INT HOGWARTS - NIGHT

We see the hallways of Hogwarts, still and empty. The painted portraits that line the halls sleep against their frames. In the Grand Staircase, one of the stairways slides into place connecting to a new platform, but there is no one on the stairs.

In another hall, lit by patches of moonlight streaming in from the windows that line the left side, we see a dark figure shifting through the shadows. Is it Black? — no. Snape steps into the light, his pale face seeming to glow in the moonlight. We see him through the window for a second, and watch him peer up through the reflection of clouds moving over the full moon — but then he turns, and moves swiftly away.

We follow him for a minute, but we trail behind, and as he moves ahead off-screen, we see a door sway open in the wall he strides past. As we hear it, we jump to watch Snape pause and turn around. The door opens a bit further, the creak even louder than before, and Snape brings his wand up, easing forward to peer through the door to find —

A broom cupboard. He glares down at the mop and bucket contained within, and after a moment, slams the door shut, continuing on his way, off down the hall.

The door opens again, but this time, he doesn’t look back.

 

BACK TO:  
INT HOGWARTS - GRYFFINDOR TOWER - NIGHT

The common room is strangely empty. The fire is no more than a handful of embers still glowing in the hearth. Things the students have left behind — a jumper over the back of an armchair, books left open on a side table, a half-played game of chess — look more ominous in the dark.

There is one person still present: Hermione Granger. But she’s fallen asleep at a table, using an open book for a pillow, and we don’t linger on her.

We pause instead on the stairs leading up to the dormitories. They appear unoccupied, too.

Back upstairs, Harry is dreaming again, in his sleep. He rolls restlessly onto his other side, facing us, but he doesn’t wake up. Ron is still a lump under his bedcovers. Neville, Seamus, and Dean all sleep soundly, though Seamus is snoring. The door to the room is open.

As we watch from the doorways, the back of a figure becomes visible against the light of the window. Sirius Black. From his right hand falls a silvery swath of fabric — an invisibility cloak.

We see his face for a moment, as his nostrils flare and his eyes dart across the room, checking each of the beds.

Harry rolls over again, and Black freezes, but Harry doesn’t wake up, merely burrows deeper into the covers. Black licks his lips, and his left hand tightens around the wand Crookshanks had brought him. He stalks forward towards a bed, reaching towards the lump of blankets, grabbing and holding for a moment before pulling back —

Revealing Ron, arms wrapped around his pillows, whose eyes blink open blearily for a moment, and then widen —

CLOSE ON: Harry’s face, eyes opening fully as we hear Ron scream. He sits up, wand in hand and snatching his glasses up to stare over where Ron is sitting up in bed, still screaming. Black is gone.

 

CUT TO:  
INT GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM - NIGHT

The majority of Gryffindor is awake by now, crowded into the room. The teachers are also up, wands out. Sprout is talking quietly to the castle ghosts, and Flitwick is casting charms that make the air shimmer in front of him, but have no other visible results. Front and center, McGonagall and Dumbledore are questioning Ron:

> RON  
>  It was Black! I swear I saw him —
> 
> McGONAGALL  
>  Yes, we heard you the first seven times, Mr Weasley! The fact remains that if no one else saw him…
> 
> RON  
>  Potter saw him! Didn’t you, Potter?

Harry, who has been standing off to one side with Neville, still has his wand in hand, starts.

> HARRY  
>  I… saw something.
> 
> DUMBLEDORE  
>  Sirius Black?
> 
> HARRY  
>  I didn’t have my glasses on…
> 
> RON  
>  But he saw someone! And it was Black, I tell you!
> 
> McGONAGALL  
>  Yes, alright, Mr Weasley! Did he say anything to you?
> 
> RON  
>  Well he was going to curse me, wasn’t he? He had his wand—
> 
> DUMBLEDORE  
>  He had a wand? Are you certain?
> 
> RON  
>  Yes?

Before the conversation can go any further, Lupin and Snape appear on the stairs. 

> SNAPE  
>  There’s no sign of him, Headmaster. Seems to have vanished off into the moonlight.
> 
> DUMBLEDORE  
>  Thank you, Severus. Mr Weasley, where do you keep your wand at night?
> 
> RON  
>  What?
> 
> DUMBLEDORE  
>  Your wand, Mr Weasley. When you sleep, where do you keep it?
> 
> RON  
>  My bedside table?

Dumbledore looks back to Snape, who shakes his head. Dumbledore draws out his wand.

> DUMBLEDORE  
>  _ Accio  _ Ronald Weasley’s wand.

Nothing happens.

> SNAPE  
>  You think Black is armed?
> 
> RON  
>  Wait, he — he stole my wand?
> 
> DUMBLEDORE  
>  I think there is a very real possibility.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  If he has a wand, then —
> 
> DUMBLEDORE  
>  The Dementors must be informed.
> 
> SNAPE  
>  I think the more pressing question is: how did Black get in to begin with? The castle aside, the tower… He would have to have had assistance, to get in…

Dumbledore treats him to a frown over the top of his glasses, but then he turns to go towards the portrait hole. McGonagall and Flitwick hurry after him, though Snape and Lupin are too busy glaring at each other. As the trio stands outside the portrait hole, Neville shuffles a bit closer to Harry. Behind them, sitting at a table, Hermione is scrubbing at her eyes

> NEVILLE  
>       (whispering)  
>  Are you alright?
> 
> HARRY  
>  It wasn’t my bed he was standing over.

They both look over at Ron, whose hands are tugging at his hair in the very image of despair as he moans:

> RON  
>  First my rat, now my wand!

Then the professors come back in, and the room falls silent again.

> DUMBLEDORE  
>       (to Lupin and Snape)  
>  It would appear he entered the tower while charmed unseen… and with the password.  
>       (to the students)  
>  Did anyone— _anyone—_ write down the password to the tower?

McGonagall instantly looks to Neville, who goes a bit pale but shakes his head.

> DUMBLEDORE  
>  Very well. We have cleared the tower, and Black in unlikely to come back tonight. However, going forward, it will be our policy that no one goes anywhere alone. Even in the dormitories, there should always be someone in the room with you. Is that understood?  
>       (the students mumble consent)  
>  For now, it would be best for everyone to go back to bed. Prefects, please stay so we can discuss additional security measures.

The students begin to turn to go back up the steps, muttering quietly among themselves. At the table, Hermione begins to gather her books. Harry and Neville turn to leave with the rest of the Gryffindors, but before they can:

> McGONAGALL  
>  Mr Potter, stay a moment.

Harry frowns, and reluctantly glances at Neville, shrugs, and turns around. Neville hesitates, but when McGonagall glances at him and doesn’t say anything, he stays.

> McGONAGALL  
>  Mr Potter, I’m afraid there is… something you need to be informed of. Regarding Sirius Black.

Harry stares at her a moment, then his eyes slide over to Neville, and back to her.

> HARRY  
>  Alright.
> 
> McGONAGALL  
>  There’s no easy way to tell you this, but, well… Sirius Black may be after you.

Neville lets out a gasp, but Harry is hardly phased.

> HARRY  
>  You mean because he’s the one who betrayed my parents?

McGonagall is visibly stunned. Neville’s mouth is hanging open, but Harry doesn’t notice that. He is completely focused on the professor.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>       (quietly)  
>  Because he’s the one who sold them out to Voldemort? Or is it because he’s my bloody godfather, and he’d like to round off the set?
> 
> McGONAGALL  
>       (faintly)  
>  You’ve… been told already, then.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Told? I found out from a book.  
>       (sneering)  
>  It must be awfully convenient for you all that I grew up muggle. Anything I might need to know about my parents lives, and you can just drop it when it is convenient.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Harry!
> 
> McGONAGALL  
>  Five points from Gryffindor for your cheek, Mr Potter!  
>       (pauses)  
>  And I am sorry that I have to tell you this. It can’t be easy…
> 
> HARRY  
>  Yeah, because it’s so easy to—

His eyes find Snape standing near Dumbledore, who is talking to the Gryffindor ghost (NEARLY HEADLESS NICK). Snape is looking right at Harry.

> NEVILLE  
>       (shakily)  
>  Can we go back to bed now, Professor?
> 
> McGONAGALL  
>  Yes, I think you better had.

Neville grabs Harry’s hand and pulls him up the stairs, but he doesn’t go all the way into their shared dormitory, staying instead on the landing. Through the door, we can see Ron, Seamus, and Dean prodding around Ron’s bed, as though they expect Sirius Black might be hidden under the covers.

> NEVILLE  
>  Why didn’t you tell me?
> 
> HARRY  
>  What?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  That — that — Everything you just said! That Black’s your godfather — that he’s after you?
> 
> HARRY  
>       (taken aback)  
>  Oh, that.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  _Oh, that?!_

Harry glances around nervously, but they are alone on the stairs, and no one in the dorm room has noticed them.

> HARRY  
>  I mean, I just found out over the holiday, and…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  You’ve known since _Christmas?_ It’s been a whole month!
> 
> HARRY  
>  Well, it hasn’t really been on my mind… I’ve been busy…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  What, looking at the bloody — 

He cuts off so abruptly, staring into space, that Harry looks over his shoulder in concern.

> HARRY  
>  Earth to Neville?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  The — the map!
> 
> HARRY  
>  The… oh, damn it! If we had it, we could find Black —
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  What? No! Harry —

He steps closer, whispering loudly, and pulling Harry closer to the wall, away from the door.

> NEVILLE (CONT’D)  
>  I — I think Black has the map.
> 
> HARRY  
>  What? No, we know where it is, Nev.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  In a secret passage, leading into the school? Th — think about it, Harry: How did Black know the password? How did he get up here without being seen? Awful convenient if while sneaking in there’s a map and an invisibility cloak, isn’t it? The Fat Lady said she couldn’t see him…

For a moment, Harry looks alarmed, but then he shakes his head.

> HARRY  
>  That’s ridiculous, Nev. He’d have to know what the map is to use it, and he’d have to have a wand, and if he already had a wand, why would he steal Ron’s?  _ And  _ he’d have to know where the passage opens to get into it to begin with, which according to Fred and George is in the basement of Honeydukes. And besides, Ron saw Black, and I — well, I saw someone, and — and if he’d had the map, he would have known which bed was mine, if he was really after me…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  I, I don’t… I don’t like this, Harry. I think he — I think we need to tell someone about the map. And the passage, and —
> 
> HARRY  
>  Tell someone! Are you out of your mind?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  If Black’s coming after you…

Harry, seeing Neville’s earnest concern, swallows his anger. Or tries to.

> HARRY  
>  Look. We’ll… we’ll go get the map tomorrow. We’ll go right after Runes, so Snape will still be in the dungeons, and… if they’re not there, we’ll tell someone.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  But —
> 
> HARRY  
>  I don’t want to get in trouble over nothing, Nev. And you know Snape. He’d give us both a month of detention without batting an eye.

The mention of Snape loosens Neville’s resolve.

> NEVILLE  
>  Tomorrow. We’ll go — tomorrow.

CUT TO:  
INT - HOGWARTS HALLS - DAY

The tolling of the castle bells can be heard over the crowds streaming out of the classrooms. Harry pushes through, against the flow of people, Neville shortly behind him, until they reach a connection to another, smaller hall, which is much more empty. They wind away from it, and up a set of stairs, until they reach hallway with the one-eyed witch statue. Harry glances both ways to be sure no one else is in the hall, then squeezes behind the statue, drawing his wand.

> HARRY (OS)  
>  _Dissendium._

With Neville keeping watch, Harry ducks his head through the stone witch’s hump. We look up at him as he squint into the dark, and can see his face shift into a relieved smile. Success. He crouches down, reaching out a hand.

CLOSE ON: The cloak, folded, with the map resting on top of it, as Harry picks it up. 

> HARRY  
>  See? It’s still here.

He shows Neville the items, but Neville eyes them — especially the map — with obvious skepticism. He picks up the map from the cloak, flipping it open, but it is blank.

> NEVILLE  
>  He could have used it and left it there.

Harry rolls his eyes, opening his bag and shifting things around to make room for the cloak.

> HARRY  
>  Okay, yeah. Sure. He _could_ have. But why? If he knew what it was, he would have taken it. And he didn’t get Ron’s wand until after he was already in the castle, anyways, so even if he knew about the passage, he couldn’t have come in that way. 
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  But you heard Professor Lupin. He couldn’t have disillusioned himself without a wand, either.
> 
> HARRY  
>  So he did something else. Maybe he stole a potion down in Hogsmeade. Maybe he has his own cloak.  
>       (he finally shoves the cloak into his bag, the flap just barely covering it.)  
>  The point is, it wasn’t either of these, or he wouldn’t have left them here.

Neville looks like he wants to argue, but can’t think of anything to say. Harry holds out his hand for the map, and Neville, sighing, folds it closed before giving it back.

> NEVILLE  
>  I still think we should tell someone about the map.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Who? McGonagall? She won’t do anything; she didn’t last time we tried, and we’ll just get in trouble. And the others… We talked about this before. Besides —
> 
> If Black really is after me, then shouldn’t I be the first to know?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  What, so you can go running after him?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Running…? Why would — so I could get away from him, Nev! Know where he’s at, so I could avoid him.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  But if the Professors had it, they could —
> 
> HARRY  
>  If the Professors knew I had this map, I’d be in a good bit of trouble, Nev. We both would be.
> 
> LUPIN (OS)  
>  Yes, you would.

The boys startle, spinning around to find Lupin emerging from the hall they had come from. Harry relaxes slightly when he realizes it is Lupin, though his face is guarded.

> HARRY  
>  Professor —
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I will be taking that, Mr Potter.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Taking — Professor, I —

Despite Harry’s protests, Lupin is not messing around; he draws his wand and summons the map from Harry’s hand.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  Hey!
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I thought better of you, Harry. Frankly, I’m astonished that you did not turn this into a professor the moment you heard Black might have been coming here.
> 
> HARRY  
>  I just got it at Christmas, I didn’t even— 
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Then you should have brought it forward _at Christmas._ And we haven't even touched on the fact that you are at that passage!
> 
> HARRY  
>  Hang on, why do you even —
> 
> LUPIN*  
>       (waving the map at Harry)  
>  Do you realize that in the hands of Sirius Black this would be a map directly to you?

Harry gapes at Lupin for a moment, as good as saying  _ ‘no’  _ directly. But now that Lupin’s giving him the chance to get a word in edgewise, he’s taking it:

> HARRY  
>  Well, it’s not in the hands of Sirius Black, is it? It was in mine, and now it’s in yours, and I would like it back, sir.

He glares up at Lupin, who looks momentarily taken aback, and shakes his head, tucking it into his robes.

> LUPIN  
>  Absolutely not. And if I see you around here again…

But he pauses as Neville’s eyes widen and feet shuffle reflexively backward, and glances over his shoulder to find a most unwelcome sight.

> SNAPE  
>  Well, well. Strutting around the castle again, Mr Potter?

Harry’s scowl deepens and Snape stalks towards the group. Lupin turns to face the man as well, his face slipping into a new form of displeasure.

> HARRY  
>  We were on a walk, if that’s what you mean. Sir.
> 
> SNAPE  
>  Curious that you seem to frequent this particular area of the castle, isn’t it.
> 
> HARRY  
>  You as well, sir. Funny, seeing as we mostly liked it for being empty.

Snape glares down at Harry for a moment, but then his eyes turn to Lupin and he grimaces.

> SNAPE  
>  And you lurking around as well… And not on your usual paths.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I was seeking out the boys, as it happened, in order to schedule their next patronus lesson. Was there something you needed?
> 
> SNAPE  
>  Patronus lessons? Spare yourself the effort, Lupin; it is well known that only a halfway competent wizard could even begin to master the art. Someone of Mr Longbottom’s dim wits would most likely strain their already limited brain space beyond repair…
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Would he? Strange, then, that Neville has already managed an incorporeal casting — in fact, I’d go so far as the say he’ll be able to fully cast the spell by the end of the year. _Was there something you needed?_

Snape glances at Neville again with a severe frown that makes Neville nearly faint, but then he turns more fully towards Lupin, speaking and standing stiffly:

> SNAPE  
>  Your potion is in your office, Lupin.
> 
> LUPIN  
>       (just as stiffly)  
>  Thank you, Severus.
> 
> SNAPE  
>  Dumbledore trusts that you won’t be looking to go for any… walks in the moonlight with Black around. I don’t. There’s a delayed sleeping solution mixed in.

Lupin stares at him.

> LUPIN  
>  Well… thank you for being upfront about it.
> 
> SNAPE  
>  The combination is unstable. I would predict that you have… thirty minutes to consume the potion before it begins to combust. It would be a hassle to restore your office, after that.

Lupin’s stare turns into a slight gape, but Snape treats Harry and Neville to one more warning glare before he turns and disappears down the hallway.

> HARRY  
>  He’s giving you potions that are going to explode? And you’re drinking them?

Lupin starts, and he seems to remember he’s not alone.

> LUPIN  
>  You should be more concerned about your own situation, boys. Detention with Mr Filch after supper should do it, I think.

He waits while the boys groan.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>  I will be sealing this passageway, boys, and don’t think about attempting any of the others. If you do...  
>       (he pats his pocket, where the map is concealed)  
>  I will know.
> 
> HARRY & NEVILLE  
>  Yes, sir...
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Now. I really was looking for you. Dumbledore has just announced the next Hogsmeade visit to be the weekend after next. With luck, I will be well enough for another patronus lesson at that point.

Harry doesn’t answer, despite Neville’s nudging.

> NEVILLE  
>  Th— that’ll be— that’ll be fine, sir.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Let’s say four o’clock? Yes. Let Miss Granger know, if you would. You shouldn’t linger in the halls, boys. Not with Black on the loose.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Thank you, Professor.

He grabs Harry and pulls him away down the hall. Harry goes, but before they round the corner, he spots Lupin staring down the statue, and drawing out his wand. Behind his glasses, Harry’s eyes narrow, but then he’s tugged past the corner.

There’s a loud bang that jumps us forward to:

INT HOGWARTS CLASSROOM - DUSK

Water sloshes up out of a bucket and onto the stone floor, and the feet in front of it scurry back.

We pull back to reveal the craggy face of ARGUS FILCH, Hogwarts’s caretaker. He’s wearing a particularly vindictive scowl. His cat, MRS NORRIS, is perched on his shoulder.

> FILCH  
>  Gone and gotten yourself in trouble again, eh, Potter? 

When we turn the camera, we see it’s the eleven-year-old Harry staring defiantly up at him. When he doesn’t respond to Filch’s leer, the man scoffs and thrusts a grimy rag towards Harry.

> FILCH (CONT’D)  
>  You’ll be scrubbing this whole room. I don’t want an  _ inch  _ of floor left unclean, you hear?

Harry nods slowly. He’s still unnervingly blank-faced.

> HARRY  
>  Is that all, sir?

Filch recoils, and tries to cover it by scratching Mrs Norris’s ear.

> FILCH  
>  And no magic! If you do… Mrs Norris will know.

The cat jumps off his shoulder and onto a nearby desk, and Filch hobbles across the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving Harry standing in the middle of the room with a bucket and rag.

Harry follows his exit over his shoulder, and then turns and looks at Mrs Norris. He offers her a hand — the one without the rag — and she hisses at him. He pulls back.

> HARRY  
>  It’s not like I know any magic that would help.

He looks around the room. It appears to have once been a classroom, but had now turned into a storage space for broken furniture from other rooms, most of it stacked around the edges. It is only lit through the grimy windows peeking out above the stacks, but that is enough to catch the silvery cobwebs.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  Well, I’ve had worse at the Dursleys.

Mrs Norris looks at him doubtfully. Harry sighs, drops the rag in the bucket, and we’re framed close enough that when he reaches to pull his robes off over his head, there’s a brief screen of black.

When he completes the motion, we’ve moved back to thirteen-year-old Harry, who is still scowling, and his baggy muggle clothes beneath his robes. Neville’s wearing much nicer clothes beneath his, but he’s the first to pick up the rag. He tries to sound optimistic.

> NEVILLE  
>  Well, it’s not so bad.

Harry now joins Mrs Norris in the scathing look. Neville flushes, and gets down to scrubbing.

> NEVILLE (CONT’D)  
>  I just mean, it could be worse. It’s only one night’s detention, and Professor Lupin —
> 
> HARRY  
>  Could’ve not been such a bastard.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Harry!
> 
> HARRY  
>  What? He is.  
>       (sloshes rag across the floor)  
>  You can’t say you’re enjoying this.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  He’s just trying to keep you safe.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Keep me safe!  
>       (sits back, tossing the rag down)  
>  What does keeping me safe have to do with treating me like I’m back at the Dursleys? What does keeping me safe have to do with Filch’s dirty work?

Neville gives him a hopeless look, ringing out his rag, and Harry grabs his again.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  Well, I bet you’re happy. You got what you wanted; Lupin’s got the map, and I’m— 
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  I don’t want you in trouble, Harry. I want you safe! You don’t know what kind of person Black is!
> 
> HARRY  
>  I know plenty well. He’s the type of person who would betray my parents. My bloody godfather, and he sold them out to _Voldemort._
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  That’s not what I mean.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Then what, Nev? What do you know about it?

Neville swallows, stepping back from Harry’s temper, but he clenches his jaw.

> NEVILLE  
>  He’s one of the Blacks, Harry.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Really? I rather got that from the name.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  The Blacks — they’re one of the oldest pureblood families in Britain. Old, and Dark, and — 

He sucks in a sharp breath.

> HARRY  
>  And?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  And… Sirius Black, h— he’s the cousin of the — the woman who — the witch who —  
>       (swallows, whispered)  
>  The one who t— tortured my parents. B— B— Bella— la— latrix Le— strange.

Harry stares for a moment longer, and then his shoulders fall. He reaches his hand up to run through his hair, but realizes his hand is wet and stops. Neville scrubs at the ground harder.

> NEVILLE (CONT’D)  
>  So I don’t — I don’t, don’t want him to — I don’t want you to end up like — like they did. I don’t want — I don’t…
> 
> HARRY  
>  God, Nev, I’m… I’m sorry. I just — I’m sorry.

He reaches out slowly, and reaches his hand out like he’s going to grab Neville’s arm. Mrs Norris hisses again, however, and he goes back to scrubbing the floor.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  You know I’m not — I’m not angry at _you,_ Nev. It’s just, all this, and Lupin, I… 
> 
> HARRY  
>  It’s just weird is all. Black breaks out and Lupin turns up at the same time.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  P— P—rofessor Sn— Snape — he thinks so too.
> 
> HARRY  
>  What?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  He — last night, he — he —
> 
> HARRY  
>  Last night, when he and Lupin went up to check the dormitory?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  They were — he said, he said B— Black would have to have assiss— siss— 
> 
> HARRY  
>  But  _ Lupin?  _
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Yeah, he… I don’t know. S— Snape thought so, and he, he said he put sleeping potion in the potion…
> 
> HARRY  
>  _Oh!_ I thought…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  What?
> 
> HARRY  
>  I thought maybe it was because he would patrol instead of resting. Silly, thinking that’d come from Snape. 
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  I…  
>        (a long pause)  
>  Maybe?

He looks like he hadn’t thought of that option. Also like he has plenty of things he’d like to say, but isn’t. Harry doesn’t notice.

HARRY  
No, you’re right… and… even if it’s Snape, we haven’t exactly had the best record of Defense teachers… After Quirrel and Lockhart, he’s gotta have  _ some  _ sort of criminal history… 

> NEVILLE  
>       (quickly)  
>  But — But why would Professor Lupin be helping Black?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Well, he _was_ their friend. My parents, I mean, and Black. Maybe… maybe it wasn’t just Black who betrayed them?

He doesn’t sound convinced.

> NEVILLE  
>  Well… I dunno… he can cast the patronus, and I’ve read dark wizards can’t…

Harry frowns, sitting back on his heels.

> HARRY  
>  Where’d you read that?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Some book Hermione found, while you were at Quidditch. Said… there’s a certain part of you that dies, when you do too much dark magic, a, um… it said ‘spark of life’, but…
> 
> HARRY  
>  Huh. She has a book for — 

But Mrs Norris hisses again, and jumps down off the desk to stalk towards them. Harry gets back to work.

Outside past the grimy window, the full moon is rising.

EXT - HOGWARTS GROUNDS - NIGHT

The grounds of Hogwarts are very still — even the Whomping Willow seems frozen. Night seems to fall very quickly, so that when the castle bells start tolling, the moon is already high in the darkening sky, and the castle windows are glowing. At the ninth toll, the last, we follow one of the lights, up through the window, into

INT - GRYFFINDOR TOWER COMMON ROOM - NIGHT

where around the room are several unfamiliar adult witches and wizards. They all wear dueling-style robes, not identical but generally shorter in length over trousers and with tighter sleeves than most robes, and matching black cloaks pinned with round silver pins with crossed wands. Some of them appear to be inspecting the windows, stairs, and fireplace, while three are standing in a triangle facing out, chanting a spell together, which is slowly forming a web of golden light around them. 

Harry and Neville have just come in through the portrait hall. Off to one side stands McGonagall and Flitwick, looking grim. The Gryffindor students who are lingering have backed into niches around the room, though Hermione can be seen at the same table as the night before, all but ignoring the spectacle in favor of her books.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  (quietly)  
>  What’s going on?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Aurors.
> 
> HARRY  
>  What?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  From the Ministry of Magic. I bet they’re looking for Black.  
>       (clenches fist)  
>  My parents were aurors, before Lestrange got them.

Harry glances back at Neville, and swallows.

> HARRY  
>  Well, they’re loads better than dementors. Reckon they’ll let us into the dorm?

Neville shrugs, and follows as Harry leads the way up the stairs.

We don’t follow them, however. Instead, we move closer to the three aurors casting the golden spell, close enough to see one, her eyes closed, sweating with the effort, though her face looks frustrated — and past her, to where two Aurors are at one of the windows, and we can just hear their conversation as they turn to go to the next:

> AUROR 1  
>  There’s no sign of him…
> 
> AUROR 2  
>  There’s got to be _something;_ he couldn’t have just disappeared…

And as they move out of the frame, we find Crookshanks sitting in the window, surveying the scene, tail flicking in irritation. And out, past that, to

 

EXT - GRYFFINDOR TOWER - NIGHT

Where we find the Dementors, much closer than they have been of late, and growing closer, until we’re so close that the cloak of one takes us to — 

 

BLACK.

 

The sound of footsteps on dirt and loose stone, a stack of wood dropped onto the ground.

> VOICE (OS)  
>  _ Wingardium Leviosa. _

A moment later: a loud thud. Some further rustling. And then:

> VOICE (OS)  
>  _In—  
>  _      (coughing)  
>  _Incendio._

A fire sparks to life, and quickly takes to the stack of wood. From a mid-distance,  as the fire grows we come to be able to make out the shape of a crouching man, and soon the light is enough to place us in an

 

INT - CAVE

We view the man from the front, and can just make out his face, revealing that it is, in fact, Sirius Black, though his face is distorted by the fire light and patchy stubble. He lifts Ron’s wand in front of him, and seems to consider it for a moment before he casts.

> BLACK  
>  _ Expecto Patronum. _

A small fountain of silver light produces from the tip of the wand, illuminating Black’s face as he frowns. It quickly fades to nothingness. He tries again, determined:

> BLACK  
>  _Ex— Expecto Patronum!_

But this time there’s even less light than the first. And now, desperate:

> BLACK  
>  _Expecto… Patronum…_

The spell is no more than a spark. As it fades, we also fade to:

 

BLACK.

 

But we still hear the voice, fading now, growing more and more strained:

> BLACK  
>  _ Expecto Patronum… Expecto Patronum… Expecto Patronum…  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Managed to get this up still on Wednesday, by my very late time zone. It seems short to me, but that's in part because I've had to reshuffle my chapters - not sure if that's going to push it to eight chapters total, or if the Finale is just going to be extra long. We'll see!
> 
> Also, I think I'm going to go ahead an make this a monthly updating fic - I've got three separate fics going at the moment, and this one needs the most fresh writing at this point. So I will hopefully be posting next on April 18.


	6. Episode 6

INT - HOGWARTS CLASSROOM - DAY

 

Snape storms up the aisle between desks. This is not the Potions laboratory in the dungeons, but a room last seen during the Patronus Lesson - the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Snape looks particularly out of place, as the room has several floor-to-ceiling windows running down one side and is thus filled with a warm, welcoming lighting. He spins around when he reaches the front of the classroom, glaring down the students who sit in total silence, and after a moment, says quietly:

> SNAPE*  
>  Turn to page three hundred and ninety four.

The students grumble a bit, and slowly begin to open their books. Ron, sitting next to Seamus, happens to grumble a bit louder than the others, and Snape swoops down on him, leaning across the desk.

> SNAPE  
>  Is your mind really so simplistic that you cannot interpret instructions on your own, or do you need assistance with the task, Mr Weasley?

Ron, sitting as far back in his seat as he can be, reaches out and flips the book open. Snape’s eyes narrow, but he steps back in a swirl of robes.

> SNAPE  
>  Who can tell me the difference between an animagus and a werewolf?

Hermione, just pulling her books out of her bag, raises her hand. Snape ignores her. 

> SNAPE (CONT’D)  
>  Anyone?

Harry frowns, nudging Neville to indicate her presence. Neville shrugs: ‘what?’

> SNAPE  
>  Potter! Answer the question.
> 
> HARRY  
>      (rolling his eyes)  
>  Hermione.

Neville goes quite pale.

> SNAPE  
>  What did you say?
> 
> HARRY  
>  The answer to your question. Hermione can tell you the difference between a werewolf and an animagus...

Neville, eyes wide, nudges Harry, who finally looks up at Snape, finding him towering above them.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  …sir.

The rest of the class is gaping at Harry, including Hermione, whose hand has started to fall a bit. Beside Harry, Neville lets out a squeak, and Snape’s glare darts over to him, and back again to Harry just as quickly.

> SNAPE  
>  That will be five points for your cheek, Mr Potter.  
>      (sweeps around, back towards the front)  
>  Well, Miss Granger? If you are _really_ such an expert on the matter, do enlighten us.

For a moment, Hermione looks at a loss — she’s used to being ignored by Snape — but she recovers.

> HERMIONE  
>  An Animagus turns into an animal of their own free will, at any time. A werewolf has no choice in the matter, and only transforms during the nights of the full moon. Furthermore, an Animagus may take any number of forms — though typically only one per witch or wizard — while a werewolf will only turn into, well, a wolf.

Snape reaches the front of the room and pivots around.

> SNAPE  
>  What an inspired answer. Not only have you plagiarized nearly word for word from your textbook, you have managed to leave out the most important part. Now — 
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Please, sir; further to the lack of choice in regards to the transformation, while an Animagus is able to retain control over themselves while in their animal form, a werewolf is —
> 
> SNAPE*  
>  Lost to the base instincts of the beast. Like yourself. Are you incapable of restraining yourself, or do you take pride in being an insufferable know-it-all?

The room is deadly quiet. Hermione’s head drops. Snape whips his wand towards the chalkboard, where a piece of chalk snaps to attention and begins writing in spiky cursive.

> SNAPE (CONT’D)*  
>  That will be ten points for speaking out of turn, Miss Granger.  
>      (to the class)  
>  As an antidote to your ignorance, you will each be writing a three-foot essay to be turned into my desk by Monday —  
>      (raising voice over class protests)  
>  — with particular focus on identifying and killing the beasts.

He seems to relish in his students’ unhappiness, as for the moment, he doesn’t quiet them. Not until Hermione sticks her hand in the air, and before it is even fully extended, speaks:

> HERMIONE  
>  But sir, werewolves aren’t on the syllabus until _June;_ we’ve only just begun hinkypunks and —
> 
> SNAPE  
>  That’s another fifteen points from Gryffindor, and an additional six inches to each essay.  
>      (the class groans)  
>  _Silence._ Perhaps you cannot comprehend the issue in your inability to keep your mouth shut and your words to yourself, Miss Granger, but I’m sure your peers will be thinking of you and your transgressions as they research the means to kill werewolves. And that will be an additional six inches for anyone else who speaks out of turn!

The class stares at him in silence. We see Harry, particularly focused on Snape, clenching and unclenching his hand under the table. Snape glares at them all, daring another student to protest.

Harry glances at Hermione, red-faced and with tears in her eyes, and opens his mouth to speak—

But Neville snags his sleeve under the desk, and pleads to Harry with his eyes. As Snape begins his lecture, Harry shuts his mouth, bristling.

CUT TO:  
INT - HOGWARTS HALLWAY, DAY

When the bell rings, the students are in a hurry to pile out of the class, Harry and Neville included. But Harry’s mostly in a hurry to catch

> HARRY  
>  Hermione—

But she doesn’t listen, storming past her classmates. Some of the Slytherins shover her shoulder as she goes by, but she ignores them.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>      (to Neville)  
>  That bloody bastard, he—

But Neville claps a hand over his mouth. Through the door, they can see Snape still lurking at the front of the room, eyeing them. Harry looks like he wants to storm back inside to give him a piece of his mind, but Neville pulls him away.

> HARRY  
>  Alright, alright. Ug. What _was_ all of that?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  All of— of— of what? He w— was the s— same as he ev—er w— w— 
> 
> HARRY  
>  The whole lesson. Werewolves? I mean, what was he thinking...?

Neville pauses, and finally lets go of Harry’s arm, gesturing into the library. They drop their voices as they enter.

> NEVILLE  
>  To sp— sp— to sp— 

He gets stuck on the word, looking even more peaky. This time, Harry’s the one that draws Neville away, into the less crowded back shelves of the library.

> HARRY  
>  Synonym?

Neville shakes his head, sitting down at the table, and taking a deep breath, closing his eyes and screwing up his face.

> NEVILLE  
>  Sp— ite. Professor Lupin. You know he— he thought…
> 
> HARRY  
>  What, he’d make Lupin too busy to help Black by screwing up his lesson plan? That’s awfully petty, even for Snape— and why’d he jump forward to  _ werewolves,  _ of all things?

Neville opens his eyes again, frowning.

> NEVILLE  
>  Be— be— because Professor L— Lupin— is one.

There’s a beat of silence.

> HARRY  
>  Lupin’s a were—
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  _Shhh!_

He looks wildly around the library, but the only other person in sight is Hermione, who’s already leaned over a scroll and several open books, writing frantically.

> NEVILLE (CONT’D)  
>  Weren't you listening to him? We can’t just say things like that. I… If it weren’t y— you, I probably wouldn’t have ever said anything…
> 
> HARRY  
>  Why not?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  People are… w—weird about it. 
> 
> HARRY  
>  With people turning into wolves? We have animagi, though…
> 
> NEVILLE   
>  It’s n- not the s— same. There’s no— no control, when you’re a, a werewolf. And most people wouldn’t want— wouldn’t want— want—

He jumps at movement behind them, but it is just Hermione getting up from her seat.

> HARRY  
>  A werewolf for a professor?  
>      (Neville nods)  
>  It’s not like he’d be teaching during the night— hey, is _that_ why he’s been…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  It’s b— been the full moon every t— time he’s been sick.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Really? Why do you know that— Why do you know any of this? He didn’t tell you…?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  I… the— the b— boggart. When we— the potion. He’s b— been getting sick m—onthly. There’s a p— potion that’s supposed to help. It was a b— big deal, a few years b— back…

A loud THUD cuts Neville off. They turn to see that Hermione’s returned, and dropped a large book on her table:  _ The Encyclopaedia of Darke Beasts. _

> HARRY  
>  And Snape’s been brewing the potion… but he set this essay; does that mean he _wants_ people to find out?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Like I said… He really does seem to hate P— Professor Lupin…
> 
> HARRY  
>  He hates pretty much everyone, though. Didn’t you hear how he talked— ‘particular focus on identifying and killing the beasts’ — and that’s weird for a whole ‘nother reason, if you think about it, but I suppose if any teacher’s going to kill someone…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  If he wante— wanted Lupin d— dead, he would’ve d— done it already. 
> 
> HARRY  
>  With the potion. Right. So instead he just wants to ruin his life… and ours! I’ve got quidditch half the week, thanks to Oliver, and its Hogsmeade for everyone else this weekend, and—

He doesn’t finish. Behind them, Hermione slams another book on the table.

> HERMIONE  
>  If you’re going to stand around and chat, could you do it somewhere else? _Some_ people come to the library to focus, you know! Some people have to learn all about werewolves in one afternoon…

She’s distracted herself again, voicing that thought, and looks back down at the books, scribbling almost immediately. Harry and Neville look at each other in confusion.

> HARRY  
>  …Hermione?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  _What?_
> 
> HARRY  
>  The essay’s not due until next week, you know. You don’t have to do it now…
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Don’t have to do it now? When, exactly, do you expect me to do it?
> 
> HARRY  
>  This weekend?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  This weekend — _this weekend?_ Would that be before or after our Patronus lesson? Should I do it in the place of Arithmancy — or perhaps Potions? I’m sure Professor Snape would be _so_ understanding, seeing as he set the essay…
> 
> HARRY  
>  We could always call off the lesson— 
> 
> HERMIONE  
>      (sharply)  
>  Professor Lupin’s gone out of his way to make time for us. It would be disrespectful.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Alright, alright… I just thought, if you’re too busy…
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  I’d be less busy if that— that _man_ stopped assigning last minute papers! If Trelawny didn’t find ways to eat up our time with dream journals, like they’re at all useful. If Professor Vector didn’t expect us to time manage down to the last minute, which socializing doesn’t count into!

Neville and Harry shift from foot to foot, each recognizing that she’s telling them to leave her alone, but not ready to.

> NEVILLE  
>  Why are you taking all these classes, Hermione? Most people only take the two electives…
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Why? What, do you want to know what makes the insufferable know-it-all such a—

She cuts off with a choking sound, and breaks into a sob.

As Neville tries to comfort her, Harry picks up one of the books Hermione has been using. On it, we see a drawing of a werewolf, over the title of the section:  _ Killing the Beasts. _

Harry grimaces down at the book, and closes it.

CUT TO:  
EXT - SKY - DUSK

An owl flies through a cloudy sky, carrying a letter addressed to “Harry Potter” in splotched ink. The camera shifts to reveal it has flown into the enchanted ceiling of the

INT - GREAT HALL - DUSK

over the heads of the students eating dinner. The owl drops the letter and banks a wide turn, and we follow the owl back out of the hall, to 

EXT - HOGWARTS - DUSK

Where it settles on one of the parapets. It fluffs its wings a bit, turning its head to search the grounds. When it finds what it is looking for — dinner — it glides down the slope, swooping down toward it’s quarry, but at the last moment pulls up sharply as Scabbers the rat darts into Hagrid’s hut: through the door, which is closing behind two students…

> HAGRID (OS)  
>  —and then they ordered him to be— They said— They sentenced him to _death!_
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  He’s been— _what?_

The two boys exchange bewildered glances, as Hagrid lets out an even louder wail. In the corner, Buckbeak is contentedly gnawing a chunk of raw meat off of a large bone.

> HARRY  
>  They can’t do that, can they?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  They can’t! Hippogriffs are protected creatures. I read about it— Hagrid, you have to appeal!
> 
> HAGRID  
>  It’s not gonna — gonna change anything, not when —  
>       (he pauses to blow his nose)  
>  — not when it’s us against that Lucius Malfoy!
> 
> HARRY  
>  Malfoy! I should have known… probably went around bribing the lot of them…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  We _did_ know, Harry. He’s the one that brought the charges. That’s why I wanted Uncle Algie to help you out—  
>  Hagrid, the Scottish Hippogriff is a protected species! At worst he should be sent to the conservatory up on the Shetlands!
> 
> HAGRID  
>  Tha’s the law, but Malfoy went and convinced them Buckbeak’d breed in bad genes— I told them, I says, ‘Buckbeak’s a good hippogriff, always cleans his feathers’, but Malfoy starts going on about breeding—I’d bet my boot he doesn’t know the first thing about husbandry!
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Did they set a date?
> 
> HAGRID  
>  June the sixth...
> 
> HARRY  
>  _June?_ It’s only April— why’d they set it so far out? 
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  It doesn’t matter why— We have to write an appeal, Hagrid. I’ll write my uncle—
> 
> HAGRID  
>  That’s awfully good of you, Neville, but there in’t anything for it—
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  That’s— that’s utter hippogriff shit, Hagrid! You’re just going to give up on Buckbeak like that? Well I’m not— I’ll write Uncle Algie, and if he won’t help me, I’ll— I’ll write the appeal myself! I’ll get Hermione to help me! I’ll— 

Hagrid bursts into another loud sob.

> HAGRID  
>  Yer good kids, yeh are. Shouldn’t be dragging yeh into this. An’ ye’ve got homework an’ things, that’s important…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Homework isn’t important at all when Buckbeak’s life is on the line.

Buckbeak shrieks in agreement. They all pause to look at him, but he has become distracted by something— 

He lunches, snapping his beak at the gap underneath a wardrobe, shaking the whole hut with his face-first collision. Something small and grey races past him, darting to get under the bed, out of reach of the hippogriff.

> HAGRID  
>  Woah, Beaky!
> 
> NEVILE  
>  Was— was that—?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Scabbers?

They exchange confused glances, then Harry grabs one of Hagrid’s enormous kitchen mitts and, with an eye for the hippogriff Hagrid is cajoling with a bucket of meat, presses himself to the ground and reaches under the bed.

He has to move fast to pin his quarry, and there’s an awful squeak, but he manages to bring the grey rat out from under the bed.

> HAGRID  
>  Oh, that’s a wee little feller, in’t he? Almost became Beacky's lunch...
> 
> HARRY  
>  It’s Scabbers, isn’t it? Look at him.

He takes Scabbers in his free hand, holding him out towards Neville as he shakes the oven mitt off.

> NEVILLE  
>  But what’s he doing down here?
> 
> HAGRID  
>  Scabbers, the Weasley’s family rat? He'd be about ancient by now, for a rat. Best take him back up to the castle where it’s comfortable warm.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Yeah, Ron’s going to be glad to see him…

They head to the door.

> NEVILLE  
>  But once we’ve gotten him back, I’m starting on the appeal straight away, Hagrid. We’re not letting Malfoy just get away with this, Hagrid!

EXT - HOGWARTS GROUNDS - DAY

Harry and Neville begin to make their way up the castle.

> HARRY  
>  Executing an animal for acting like he’s supposed to… that’s got to be the pettiest thing I’ve ever heard of.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  He’s an absolutely horrible person. Probably thinks it’s all in good fun. I bet he asked his father for it for Christmas. ‘Dear Father, for Christmas, I’d like a new broom, some fancy clothes, and an execution.’
> 
> HARRY  
>  And Malfoy Senior was just giddy to provide, I bet. Ug! Malfoy’s damn lucky I can’t track him down and give him a piece of my mind!
> 
> NEVILLE  
>      (sharply)  
>  Harry, you can’t do that.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Well, yeah, no; since Lupin’s still got the map…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  What?
> 
> HARRY  
>  I’m just saying, if we had the map, it’d be easy enough to track Malfoy down and… and show him what— _OW!_

Scabbers jumps from Harry’s hand, and Harry waves it around, hopping up and down out of pain. 

> HARRY (cont’d)  
>  He bit me!

Neville runs to try and catch the rat, but trips over his own feet on the way.

HARRY (CONT’D)  
Oy! Scabbers, come back— He actually _bit_ me!

RON (OS)  
What?

CUT TO:  
INT - GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM - DAY

Harry and Neville have come to stand near the table where Ron, Seamus, and Dean are seated around a card game. Harry holds out his hand to Ron, showing him his finger.

> HARRY  
>  Your rat. He bit me.
> 
> RON  
>  My— Scabbers?
> 
> HARRY  
>  He was down in Hagrid’s hut. I was going to bring him up for you, but he bit me and ran away.
> 
> SEAMUS  
>  He’s never bit any of us. Was probably just some garden rat Hagrid found.
> 
> HARRY  
>  It was Scabbers.
> 
> SEAMUS  
>  And how you know that, huh? Can you speak to rats now too?

He mimes rodents sounds, which mostly leaves Harry looking very unimpressed, but Ron scowls.

> RON  
>  Lay off, Seamus.  
>      (to Harry)  
>  He was down at Hagrid’s place? Why would he be there?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Probably because he’s getting old? Most rats only live a few years, right? And he’s been sick — he probably just confused and wandered off.
> 
> RON  
>  Oh.

But his eyes flicker across the room, towards where Hermione is working, Crookshanks weaving at her ankles.

> HARRY  
>  You know you have a thing about blaming other people, right? Something goes wrong and you just want someone to blame for it. It doesn’t help anything, and so far, you’ve usually been wrong.
> 
> RON  
>  What?
> 
> HARRY  
>  You should apologize.  
>      (Ron still looks confused)  
>  To Hermione?
> 
> RON  
>  Her cat —  
>      (cuts off)  
>  I’m going to look for him. I… Thanks.
> 
> HARRY  
>      (sarcastic)  
>  Any time.

Ron hurries out of the room, leaving Seamus with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at Harry, and Dean looking awkwardly between them. Harry rolls his eyes, and turns to walk away. He has to make up his mind quickly, so he walks over to Hermione’s table, taking a seat. Neville quickly takes the one next to him, glancing curiously over the books Hermione has spread out over the table.

> HARRY  
>  He can be such an idiot.

Hermione hadn’t noticed him. She startles, nearly upturning her ink, but manages to catch it.

> HERMIONE  
>  What?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Ron. He _knows_ he’s being stubborn, but he won’t admit it.

Hermione stares blankly at him, and her silence drags. Neville and Harry exchange a glance, and she starts writing again. 

> NEVILLE  
>  Arithmancy again? I thought that wasn’t due until Friday.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>      (not looking up)  
>  What?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  You said yesterday it wasn’t due until Friday, so you could put it off until tomorrow so you have time to get done with Divination…?

Hermione pauses again, and looks up, confused. Then she drops the quill, frantically pushing books aside to grab one in particular, not even noticing when one of the books falls off the desk. Harry picks it up for her— _ TWENTIETH CENTURY IN LUNAR CYCLES PER ANNUM _ .

> HARRY  
>  Why do you know when arithmancy homework is due?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  We were working out our planners while you were at Quidditch yesterday.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Oh… Can I borrow yours?

Hermione lets out a moan before Neville can answer.

> HERMIONE  
>  Divination! I knew I was missing something! And it’s supposed to be charms tonight, to, I— It’s Wednesday, right?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Y— yes?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  _Urgh!_ I’m going to have to— 

She grabs the papers off the table, shoving what she can into the bag and stacking the rest onto the books, grabbing them and running off, upstairs.

Harry and Neville look at each other in confusion, and begin to pull out their own books.

> HARRY  
>  That was… odd.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Do you think she’s alright? She’s been more and more…

But before he can finish, there is suddenly a new pile of books being set down on the table beside him.

> HERMIONE  
>  Can I sit here?

They both stare at her. She looks much calmer, even as she sits without waiting for an answer.

> HERMIONE (CONT’D)  
>  Have you two finished your Runes homework yet? I’ve about worked myself in circles on the third problem.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Runes? I thought you were going up to grab your books for Divination?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>      (laughing)  
>  Divination? You don’t need books for divination. You don’t need anything but the ability to think up tripe and convince Trelawny it came to you in a dream— So have you?
> 
> HARRY  
>  You’re… making things up for homework?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Merlin, no, Harry; you can’t just make stuff up for Runes; that would have the potential to be explosive!
> 
> HARRY  
>  No, your Divination—
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  It’s not making things up any more than the rest of that class is. So— have you done your runes?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Not yet. Thought I’d do it tomorrow, since it’s not due until Friday.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  _ Tomorrow?  _ But we’ve got Charms and Transfiguration to do tomorrow—not to mention Muggle Studies and Arithmancy— 

She’s beginning to look desperate again.

> HARRY  
>  Why are you taking so many classes, Hermione?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Why— Why wouldn’t— We’ve been over this before—
> 
> HARRY  
>  No, I get the whole wanting to learn everything, but that’s what free time is for, isn’t it? Doing things as hobbies? But you’ve taken away all your free time— And what good is doing it all in school? Doesn’t it make you hate it, for all the work?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  I don’t hate it. If I hated it, I wouldn’t do it!
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  You don’t seem particularly keen on divination.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Yes, well, the subject itself isn’t… it’s good to know what people think about these things. Enough about that; what were you going to work on, if not Runes?
> 
> HARRY  
>  I’ve got Quidditch again tonight, I was just sitting to, you know, say hello…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Well, I’m going to write a letter to my Uncle. Buckbeak’s been sentenced to death.

Hermione stares.

> HERMIONE  
>  That’s— That’s barbaric!
> 
> HARRY  
>  We know.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  There’s a month to put in an appeal— it probably won’t do much, but I at least have to try…
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  What is it with the wizarding world and capital punishment! First werewolves, now hippogriffs—
> 
> HARRY  
>  Werewolves?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Haven’t you done the Defense essay yet? Of course the textbook doesn’t go into the details of the matter — but while it is not illegal to be a werewolf, strictly speaking, it is legal and in fact downright encouraged to hunt them down and kill them while they are transformed. In fact, there’s a ministry reward for turning in the location of a werewolf on the full moon, and a bounty on their heads — as though it doesn’t matter that they are human beings — citizens — but the law treats them no different from hippogriffs…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Except it is supposed to be illegal to kill a hippogriff. It’s just because L— Lord Malfoy wants to save face…
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Legal or illegal, it’s— When did you say the date was set for?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  June sixth.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Then I’ll help you. Write the appeal, I mean. Just…

She looks at the stack of books.

> HERMIONE (CONT’D)  
>  This weekend.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Don’t forget we have the Patronus lesson this weekend.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Yes, and a Transfiguration exam Monday, and I should really go over that essay again, once I’ve got the time…
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Didn’t you hear? Professor Lupin called it off.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Called it off?
> 
> HARRY  
>  When? Why didn’t you tell me— We don’t have class with him until tomorrow.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Some of the Hufflepuffs ran into him in the halls yesterday evening. They told everyone in the library— You were at Quidditch. I guess I forgot to mention it.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  But I was in the library.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  I know. You were sitting with me.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Then why didn’t I...?
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  You were working on your Muggle Studies homework, I think, and told Ernie to, er… to go away.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Oh. I… but I already finished the essay…
> 
> HARRY  
>  Well, maybe you can use it when we actually do cover werewolves in class?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Professor Snape never should have assigned that essay in the first place. He was a substitute, and it wasn’t on the syllabus, and —
> 
> HARRY  
>  Hermione Granger, wanting less work? Do we need to have Madame Pomphrey check your head? Have you been any rogue bludgers lately? Tumbled down any stairs?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Oh, be quiet… I am glad to have one thing off my plate, I guess… might give me a bit of time this weekend. Even the Patronus lesson will be a welcome break… But Harry, surely you have time to get some runes done before Quidditch? I want you to look at number three…

Her voice is cut off as the camera pulls away from them, out the window to see the tower from

EXT - HOGWARTS - DUSK

It’s raining now. Shifting away from Gryffindor Tower, we see as the rain picks up, dripping off the stone gargoyles on the roof, shaken off owls coming to settle in the owlery, a few students crossing courtyards with their bags held over their heads. Out on the step before the door over the slope down to Hagrid’s hut, Ron is calling for Scabbers. The black dog sits up against the trunk of the Whomping Willow a ways away, watching Ron, his ears picked up, but still as if he is waiting for someone or something. He gazes out over the forest, to out where the sky is still clear, and the moon — still full — rises out over the trees.  

> LUPIN (OS)   
>  We’re going to try something a little different this time. 

We move back in close to a window, and as Lupin speaks, pass back through, to the

INT - DEFENSE CLASSROOM - DAY

where Lupin leans back against his desk, addressing Harry, Neville, and Hermione. They’re not in robes, now — it’s the weekend. The room is dim; lit only by the grey light through the windows.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>  It’s an exercise to help find the right sort of memory. So, if you will: raise your wands, but do not cast just yet. Instead, close your eyes and imagine somewhere you feel calm. Comfortable. Safe.

Neville frowns, but closes his eyes, and imagines:

A GREENHOUSE. Rain runs down the glass walls, but inside is bright and full of life, flowers in bloom and a magical plant with long, bendy stems and narrow leaves twisting in the air in a gentle, hypnotic fashion.

Lupin surveys them. Up close, his face looks even more haggard than usual — there are dark circles under his eyes, and he hasn’t shaved in a few days.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>  There you have no worries, no responsibilities. No one to answer to, no pretenses to uphold.

Hermione think about his command for a moment, and then she closes her eyes. For a moment we see what she imagines: A library, rain still beating against the windows, a fire crackling in the fireplace, a steaming cup of tea on top of a stack of books balanced on one arm of a plush wingback chair.

> LUPIN (OS, CONT’D)  
>  There is nothing here but joy and freedom. There may be other people, or you may be alone — whatever makes you more comfortable.

We pass through the window of Hermione’s library, and find Harry outside, soaring on his Firebolt in easy loops, high above the Quidditch pitch. It is raining here, too, but it is a gentle rain, and the sky is bright with sunlight. He flies as feels natural to him — up to a high point, coming to a near stop, then dropping and swooping into a graceful arc, twisting through the air at high speeds, but no hurry.

> LUPIN (OS, CONT’D)  
>  Imagine this place is contained within a bubble of warm light. 

As Harry soars, we see a curved surface almost unseen in the sky catch the light. It’s not terribly close, leaving Harry plenty of room to fly, but it comes out beyond the storm clouds. We see from below Harry for a moment, and above there is a gap in the clouds, where the bubble is curved overhead. 

> LUPIN (OS, CONT’D)  
>  It is a protective charm, forged out of all the happiness and hope in the world. 

Harry looks down to the Quidditch pitch far below, where the stands are filled with people, their wands all pointed into the air, the tips lit with bright lights.

> LUPIN (OS, CONT’D)  
>  Every time you have been proud of your achievements, every time you have felt loved— 

He sees, in the crowd, his parents as he saw them in the Mirror of Erised, looking up at him, their wands brighter than the rest.

> LUPIN (OS, CONT’D)  
>  It has all come together to form that light. And when you look at it, you can remember those feelings clearly — you can remember the last time you felt something strong enough to be included…

Harry doesn’t look at the barrier again; he instead looks down at his parents. His father puts his arm around his mother’s shoulder, and they smile at him, encouraging. 

> LUPIN (OS, CONT’D)  
>  Hold onto that feeling. Focus on the memory as clearly as you can. And now, cast the spell:
> 
> ALL  
>  Expecto Patronum!

They open their eyes to see their spells. Hermione’s is a complete wall, solidly formed but not bright. Neville’s is a bright silvery light, but barely there, a trickling sort of mist, like liquid mercury. But Harry’s — 

They all stare wide-eyed at the white light Harry’s wand emits. He grins, elated, and as the light begins to come together, to take shape— 

Hermione topples sideways.

> HARRY  
>  Hermione!

The silvery light dissolves. Harry rushes forward, but it’s Lupin who manages to catch her, moving with surprising speed for someone who looks so tired. He pries the wand from his tight grip and lowers her to the ground.

> NEVILLE  
>  Sh— she— she— 
> 
> HARRY  
>  What happened? Why is she—

As he settles her down, Lupin draws out his own wand. His face looks quite grim.

> LUPIN  
>  _ Enneverate. _

Hermione’s eyes flutter open. For a moment she looks quite confused. Then she tries to sit up. Lupin catches her shoulder, helping her move slowly.

> HERMIONE  
>  Wh— what— Professor?  
>      (looks around)    
>  What happened?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Have you been getting enough sleep, Hermione?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Sleep? I— Did I fall asleep?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  No. You passed out. Presumably as a result of magical exhaustion, which while a common enough ailment among those whose livelihoods involve exerting themselves—  
>      (gently)  
>  —among students it is more generally a sign that they are overworking themselves.
> 
> Hermione blinks at him, and then tries to get up again.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  I’m fine, now. I don’t know what came over me.

Lupin shakes his head, but lets her get up.

> LUPIN  
>  Do you know the effects of long-term magical exhaustion in youth, Hermione? Decreased overall magical capacity is generally considered the most worrisome effect, as it compounds the problem, but there’s also increased anxiety, dulling of thoughts, disruption of spell channeling, and, eventually—
> 
> HERMIONE  
>     (quietly)  
>  —damage to neural pathways responsible for critical function of the brain.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Wait, hold up—you mean Hermione’s going to end up with  _ brain damage  _ from working too hard in school?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  I’m not—
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I’m saying it is important to know your limits before you’ve gone too far and done something irreversible. Like brain damage, yes.

Hermione bites her lip. She doesn’t typically disagree with teachers. Nor does she admit to weakness.

> LUPIN (CONT'D)  
>  For that reason, you will not be participating in class until you have visited Madame Pomphrey and she has deemed you recovered, Miss Granger. I will let your teachers know.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  But Professor, I— 
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Pushing yourself is a good thing. Pushing yourself to the point of self-destruction is not. Do you understand?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  Yes, sir.

Lupin offers her a smile.

> LUPIN  
>  I’d recommend taking a good look at your schedule, and take steps to deal with the root of the problem, not the cure. I’d  _ also  _ recommend talking with Professor McGonagall, and also your friends.

Hermione startles, glancing at Harry and Neville. 

> HERMIONE  
>  I’m sorry, sir— The lesson, we can get back to work—
> 
> LUPIN  
>  The Patronus is  _ much  _ more taxing than any spell you would cast in your third year courses. I think we’re done for the day.
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  But sir, Harry almost had it!
> 
> HARRY  
>  Er, that’s alright, Hermione. We can be done. 
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  But you— I—

She tries to take a step towards him and staggers, and all three lurch forward to catch her. She catches herself, grabbing a desk, instead.

> LUPIN  
>  Yes, we’re done.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>  Should she go to the Hospital Wing, Professor?
> 
> HERMIONE  
>  No! No, I’m fine. I’ll just. I’ll just go back to the tower and have a nap. That’ll be enough. You don’t need to worry about me.
> 
> NEVILLE  
>        (determined)  
>  Then we’ll walk back with you. Thank you for today, Professor.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Of course. Hermione, if you experience any more side effects at all, you should contact Madame Pomphrey or a Professor at once. And—

He pauses to wave his wand at the front desk, and from the drawer comes zooming something that snaps into his hand: Chocolate. He breaks off a piece and offers it to her.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>  Eat this. It will help.

She takes it and turns to leave.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>  You too, boys. This isn’t your everyday household charm we are working on.

He offers the bar to Neville, who quickly breaks a piece and passes it off to Harry, hurrying to catch up with Hermione. Harry takes his time, breaking a piece and slowly passing the bar back.

> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>  Nice work today, Harry— really. You’ve managed more than most adult wizards ever will.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Thank you, Professor.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Was there something else you needed?
> 
> HARRY  
>  Well— I— 

He looks back over his shoulder. Neville and Hermione are already gone.

> HARRY (CONT’D)  
>  I just… I wanted to ask if I could have the map back. It’s… Ron’s lost his rat, and I was hoping it might help me find him.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Harry, you of all people ought to understand why a tool like the map ought to be in the hands of a Professor! If Sirius Black were to find it…
> 
> HARRY  
>  Then he probably wouldn’t even know how to use it.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I wouldn’t be so sure.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Besides, if he  _ is  _ trying to come after me, for whatever reason, then aren’t I the one who should have some way of knowing when he’s in the castle?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  No!  
>        (He lets out an unsteady sigh.)  
>  No, Harry. You — I want you to promise me you won’t try to face him yourself. That you’ll get as far away from him as you can.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Hell no.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Harry —
> 
> HARRY  
>  If he comes after me, you want me to just run? Regardless of the circumstances? There’s no way in the world I would even think about promising something like that. On top of everything else, it’s a terrible idea to put your back on a madman with a wand!

Lupin is gaping, but after a moment his mouth snaps shut, and he smiles slightly.

> LUPIN  
>  You have so much of Lily in you.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Of — what?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Lily. She had a gift for turning around arguments. Drove James up a wall, when she was pregnant and he was nervous.

Harry frowns, unsure of how the conversation got here — but not about to let an opportunity slide.

> HARRY  
>  So can I have the map back?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Absolutely not.

Sighing, Harry turns away, deflecting his frustration.

> HARRY  
>  Whatever. It’s probably broken, anyways.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  It seems to be in working order to me.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Yeah, well. You said Peter Pettigrew is dead, right? And he didn’t come back as a ghost? His name was on the map, a while back.

Harry glances over his shoulder as he says it, gauging Lupin for a reaction, but Lupin’s back is to the window, now, and his face unclear.

> LUPIN  
>       (quietly)  
>  Peter? That’s… impossible.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Well, then it’s probably broken. Who knows how old it is. Maybe the spells are wearing off.  
>       (he shrugs angrily)  
>  So it wouldn’t matter if it got into Black’s hands, anyways.
> 
> LUPIN  
>  Perhaps. But don’t bother asking again, Harry.
> 
> Harry reluctantly nods, and starts walking to the door.
> 
> LUPIN (CONT’D)  
>  Harry… if Mr Weasley finds his rat, tell him to bring it to me.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Sir?
> 
> LUPIN  
>  I know a few good spells to… help him keep track of his pet.
> 
> HARRY  
>  Right…

He gives Lupin a suspicious look, but shrugs it off, and hurries out the door after Neville and Hermione.

At the desk, Lupin slumps, and runs a hand down his tired face.

> LUPIN  
>  Don’t be ridiculous, Moony… He’s dead. They all are.

Then he shakes his head, straightening up, and leaves the room.


End file.
